The cardiology division serves both inpatients and outpatients with diseases of the heart and/or blood vessels. Services include the latest technology in diagnostic procedures and treatment.

Private cardiologists, as members of the division, are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for consultation in the Emergency Department or for inpatients at the request of the patient's private physician. There is also an on-call list of cardiologists for patients who come to the Emergency Department with any cardiac emergency who do not have their own physician.

Sixteen critical intensive care beds are available for patients requiring this level of care. Patients are cared for in the unit by their private physicians and consulting physicians, including a board-certified cardiologist. Care is also supervised by a board-certified intensive care physician on staff. Nurses are specially trained to deliver this higher level of care.

Our 30-bed, fully monitored cardiac telemetry step-down unit has been completed renovated and is now a modern, state-of-the-art, eye-pleasing environment for the care of any patient requiring this level of care. The latest technology in cardiac monitoring equipment has been installed. Nurses are specially trained to deliver a higher level of cardiac care. The Cardiology Division is actively involved in the evaluation of patients on this unit and work closely with the nursing staff in regard to assessment, triage and treatment.

Services

Diagnostic

• EKG: Full-time EKG technicians are available from 7 am to 7 pm. After 7 pm, a complement of staff has been instructed in performing EKG's and in retrieval of prior records.
• Stress Testing: Standard treadmill exercise testing is available from 7 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday, with urgent testing arranged at the earliest time. This procedure is performed by a cardiologist and a nurse. Results are available to the ordering physician immediately.
• Stress Echocardiography: Standard treadmill exercise testing is enhanced by the addition of echocardiography imaging when indicated. This is a non-invasive procedure that can be performed quickly and safely in the stress lab. It is available 7 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday. It is performed by a cardiologist, an echo technician and a nurse. Results are available to the ordering physician immediately.
• Nuclear Stress Testing: Standard treadmill exercise and pharmacological myocardial perfusion exams are available from 7 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday, with urgent testing scheduled at the earliest possible time. These procedures are performed by a cardiologist, a nurse and a nuclear technologist. Results are available to the ordering physician on the same day.
• Echocardiography: Echocardiography is available from 7 am to 10 pm, Monday through Thursday, from 7 am to 3 pm on Fridays, and 7 am to 3 pm on Sundays. Echocardiography is available on an emergency basis 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Qualified sonographers perform the test and interpretation is done by a cardiologist within 24 hours.
• Transesophageal Echocardiograms: A semi-invasive procedure performed electively in the echo department or at the patient's bedside in the intensive care units by a cardiologist with special credentials in the performance of this procedure and an echo sonographer. Testing is usually requested by the patient's personal physician as a consultation by a specific cardiologist. A cardiologist will be assigned by the Echocardiogram Department in the event one is not designated. Conscious sedation and monitoring is provided throughout the test by an anesthesiologist on staff. Results are available to the ordering physician immediately.
• Muga Scans: Available through the Radiology Department by scheduling.

Treatment

• Congestive Heart Failure Outpatient Clinic: Open to all congestive heart failure patients in the community at the request of their private physician. Services include infusion therapy, monitoring of symptoms, laboratory values, vital signs and other clinical data, health education and emotional support. Services are provided in a friendly, comfortable and supportive group setting and supervised by a nurse and a cardiologist. Information is available from 7 am to 3 pm, Monday through Friday.
• Temporary/Permanent Pacemaker Placement: Temporary pacemaker placement can be performed by any of the private cardiologists on staff. Permanent pacemaker placement is done by qualified thoracic surgeons on staff.
• External Pacemaker: Available for use in all monitored areas.

Innovations in Care

New state-of-the-art monitoring systems are being installed in the Critical Care Unit and Telemetry Unit. These systems will interface with the Emergency Department system so that information can be stored and retrieved from any point of the patient's care.

Our echocardiology technology has been upgraded to include the latest improvements, such as harmonics and tissue equalization for better imaging quality. This includes a new reporting system allowing results of studies to be available within 24 hours.

Recent additions include two pediatric cardiologists to the staff who are available for consultation.

Programs and Services

Patient and community education are the focus of Cardiology Services. The service is supported by a patient education coordinator who oversees the development of patient education tools and programs. The Cardiology Department is involved in community health screenings and health fairs, and partners with outside organizations such as the American Heart Association and Heart Council of Long Island.

Department Head

Donna Denier, MD
Chief of Cardiology

Faculty

Shaik Ali, MD
Edward T. Davison, MD
Thierry Duchatellier, MD
Joseph Eichenbaum, MD
Alexander S. Elfenbein, MD
Sobha Gavani, MD
Rasheed Jafar, MD
Sanjay Kirtane, MD
Sean Levchuck, MD, Pediatric Cardiology
Daniel Levy, MD
David Lowenkron, MD
Mohammed Muneeruddin, MD
Felix Oviasu, MD
Scott Ratner, MD
Eric Steinberg, MD
Ronald Stevens, MD
Ambrose Vallone, MD, Pediatric Cardiology
David Weinstock, MD
Ranvir Yadav, MD
Corey Ziff, MD

Address

Franklin Hospital
900 Franklin Avenue
Valley Stream, NY 11580

Useful Links

American Heart Association