Welcome to Cardiovascular
Associates of Central Virginia.

Table of Contents:

We look forward to serving you and ask you to spend a few minutes browsing through our website in order to learn about our practice and our efforts to provide you with the best of cardiovascular care.

Our practice is made up of board certified cardiovascular medicine specialists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and our supporting staff. All of our physicians have areas of sub-specialization within cardiovascular disease so that we can provide the best possible care for our patients. We will always strive to provide you with up-to-date, prompt care in a team oriented, friendly and compassionate atmosphere. We are continually working to improve our services to our patients as well as to referring physicians. We are always open to suggestions and constructive criticism.

Through our practice, we want to work with you to provide you with the best healthcare possible. We want to partner with you so that you have understanding of your health problems, the medications we are using, the procedures we recommend and the things you can do for yourself in order to be as healthy as possible.

We are a full service cardiovascular care provider. We offer services for all aspects of adult and adolescent cardiovascular care. Full noninvasive testing is available in our office by physician order. Inpatient care and invasive cardiovascular treatments are carried out at the Stroobants Heart Center at Lynchburg General Hospital.

We require all of our patients to have a primary care physician. Our practice is limited to cardiovascular medicine. We will communicate with your primary care physician after each of your visits.
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How To Reach Us:
Cardiovascular Associates
2410 Atherholt Road - Lynchburg, VA
or
P.O. Box 11709
Lynchburg, Va. 24506-1709
 
Phones:
Main Switchboard - 434-947-5252
Appointment Desk - 434-544-2331
Nurse - 434-544-2330
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Office Hours:
Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
(except major holidays)
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Satellite Clinics:
Bedford Memorial Hospital
1613 0akwood - Bedford, VA
Appointment Desk: 434-544-2331
Staff Physician: Dr. Chad Hoyt, Dr. Jason Hackenbracht, Dr. Thomas Meyer
Office Hours: Every Monday
Click here for a map and driving directions.

Gretna Centra Health Medical Center
1220 W. Gretna Road - Gretna, VA
Appointment Desk 434-544-2331
Staff Physician: Dr. William VanDyke or Dr. William Brown
Office Hours: Every Tuesday
Click here for a map and driving directions.

Services Offered at both satellite clinics include stress testing, echocardiograms, Holter monitors and event recorders. For questions concerning both clinics, call the Lynchburg Appointment Desk: 434-544-2331.
 
Please Note: All mail should be addressed to:
P.O. Box 11709
Lynchburg, Va. 24506-1709
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Appointments:

1. Please try and arrive a few minutes early for your appointment.

2. Call the appointment desk at 434-544-2331 to make or cancel an appointment. If you need to cancel an appointment, please try and do so at the earliest possible date so that we can use the time for other patients.

3. You may also schedule or cancel appointments by email at  cvappointments@cvacv.com.  We check the mailbox several times a day during regular office hours. Please use this only for elective or non-urgent appointments (call for emergencies). You will receive confirmation of your appointment by email only, unless you request otherwise.

4. We always strive to run on schedule; however, we have many emergencies and acute problems in cardiology. Therefore, please be patient with us when we are running behind. We suggest you bring a book or magazine with you for your appointment. We also have a selection of magazines and health related literature in our office for your use.

5. As noted in more detail below, you should bring a complete list of medications with you at the time of your appointment, or bring the medications themselves.

6. Urgent appointments are available if needed. Urgent appointments may not always be with your primary cardiologist. You may see a nurse practitioner or a physician assistant before the cardiologist on call if you have an urgent appointment. The physician will always see you along with the nurse practitioner or physician assistant.
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Medications:

1. Medications for the treatment of heart and blood vessel problems continue to improve dramatically. Medication regimens can rapidly become complex and at times confusing. It is important fur you, your primary doctor and your cardiologist to always know exactly what medications you are taking and also the exact dosages.

2. Bring a complete updated list of medications with you for each appointment. The list should include:
   a. Your name
   b. The date
   c. Any drug allergies
   d. The names of all your medications
   e. The frequency with which you are taking the medications (how many
   times a day)
   f. The exact dose of the medications you are taking (i.e. 40 mg of Furosemide twice a day)
   g. A list of over the counter medications (vitamins, Tylenol, etc.)
   h. If you are not sure about any of the above, please bring your bottles
   with you.

3. A good way to keep an up-to-date list of medications is on a computer using programs such as Word or Excel. The list can be modified after your physicians make changes. You can always print and take an updated list with you to each of your doctor visits. If you do not have access to or knowledge of computers, often a family member will. Otherwise, a written list is just fine and we can make a photocopy at the time of your office visit.

4. We have printed medication lists available in our office that you can fill in and use for appointments with us or your other physicians.
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Refills:

1. Call your pharmacy when refills are needed and ask them to contact our pharmacy tech at 434-455-5578. You can call the pharmacy tech yourself if you have specific questions or problems. Hours are 8-5 Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. If the pharmacy tech is on a line with another patient or a drug store, you can leave a message and she will get back to you as soon as possible.

2. Ask your primary physician to renew your drugs that are not related to your heart or vascular condition.

3. The cardiologist on call at night and on weekends stays very busy with emergency problems. Please try and avoid asking for refills after office hours. Please try and ask for refills well before you are to run out of your medications.

4. Requests for refills can also be made by email. Email your request to  cvprescription@cvacv.com. We check this address several times a day during regular office hours. Your request will be taken care of and we will send back an email confirming the completion of your request.
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Urgent Appointments:

1. Should an urgent problem arise, we will always strive to work you in for an office appointment in a timely manner. Call 434-947-5252 during office hours (8-5 Monday though Friday, excluding holidays).

2. Please know that for urgent appointments, we may not be able to work you in with your primary or usual cardiologist.

3. If your problem is not related to your cardiac or vascular condition, please see your primary care physician.
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Emergencies:

1. A cardiologist is always on call for emergencies at 434-947-5252.

2. The cardiologist stays very busy in the hospital taking care of ill patients. Please try and avoid calling for routine questions, minor problems or refills of medications.

3. Please call your primary care physician for emergencies that are not related to your cardiac or vascular condition.

4. If possible, have a complete list of all your medications in front of you when you call for an emergency problem.
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Blood Work:

1. Blood drawing is available during regular office hours.

2. Some blood studies such as a lipid profile require fasting for 12 to 14 hours before the sample is drawn. You can have your evening meal the night before and then only medications and water-thereafter. You should come to the office the following morning for your blood work. If you are diabetic and need fasting lab work, fast after midnight and come in at 8:OO AM. Please notify the receptionist when you check in for your labs that you are diabetic.

3. An appointment is not needed for most blood work. An exception is Coumadin Clinic.

4. The office hours of 8:00 AM until 10:00 AM are usually the best time to work drawn.

5. An appointment is needed for Coumadin (warfarin) clinic or to have your protime checked.

6. Please let us know if we may release blood values and test results to your spouse or others you may select.
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Blood Pressure Checks:

1. Blood pressure checks available during office hours.

2. The shortest wait and the preferred time for a blood pressure check are 8:00 AM through 10:00 AM.
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Contact Your Physician:

1. To contact your physician, please call 434-947-5252 and leave a message with nurse.

2. Let the nurse know the urgency of a response required
   a. For Routine non-urgent questions, your doctor will usually have a response within one to two days.
   b. If you need a response more urgently, let the nurse know. She will have your doctor or another practitioner back with you that day.
   c. Make sure the problem is brought to the attention of your doctor or one of the other cardiologists right away.
   Realize that physicians are often in the hospital and may not come by the office everyday. We count on you to help with communication. If you do not hear from us within a reasonable period of time, please call back. If you have tests or labs and have not received the results, please call.
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Office Clinical Compliments/Concerns:
Should you have a concern, or perhaps a compliment, you may contact the following:
Personal Health questions or concerns must be discussed with a medical professional. Please call our office at (434) 947-5252.

1. For nursing or patient care, call 434-455-5569 or email cvclinical@cvacv.com.

2. For reception or scheduling, call 434-455-5575 or email  cvreception@cvacv.com.
    
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Payment & Insurance:
Cardiovascular Associates participates with several insurance companies. They are: Anthem Blue Cross (Trigon), Cost Alliance, Key Advantage & Virginia Advantage, Piedmont Community Health Plan, Tricare and Cigna. This means that we accept the allowed amount and the patient is responsible for any deductible, non-covered service and any co-pay determined by their insurance company. If the insurance company requires a referral for specialty services, the patient will need to contact their primary care physician prior to the appointment.

We file with all other insurance companies for our patients. Please note it is the patients’ responsibility to be aware of any restrictions they may have concerning their coverage. This information can be found in the employee’s insurance handbook.

A payment schedule for non-covered services can be arranged, and our finance office will be glad to help you. Please call the finance office at 434-544-2336 or 434-455-4740 or e-mail cvpataccts@cvacv.com if you have any questions about payment schedules.
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Medicare:
We participate with Medicare. This means that we charge only the allowed amount set by Medicare. The patient is responsible for the yearly deductible, the 20% left after Medicare payment and any charge not covered by Medicare. If you have any questions, please call our finance office at 434-455-4747.
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