New Telecardiology Partners
Always seeking to deliver the very best available care
As a patient-centered hospital, we are always seeking out to better serve the needs of the patient. For this reason, we are happy to introduce you to our new telecardiology partners. Get to know more about our Telecardiology Partner Services and what it means to you:
- The Benefits of the Telecardiology Partners Services
- The Doctors
- What to Expect
As a patient-centered hospital, it is our mission to ensure that you have immediate access to the best fast, knowledgeable, efficient medical care the moment that you step into Altus Lumberton Hospital.
Benefits of our Telecardiology Services
The following are the benefits that our new Telecardiology Partners services mean to you:
- Consult with local cardiologist using state of the art technology
- Next day in-office appointment available
- Experienced multidisciplinary cardiology team
- Stay close to home for follow-up care
- The most up to date guidelines from cardiologists
Meet the Cardiology Experts
When you get treated at Altus Lumberton Hospital, you may qualify for access to the cardiology experts of Southeast Texas. We’re happy to partner with Rodolfo P. Sotolongo, M.D., FACC, FSCAI and Paris P. Bransford, M.D., both renowned doctors from the Southeast Texas Cardiology Associates.
Our mission is to provide the residents of Lumberton and nearby towns with the best quality hospital and ER care in a cutting-edge facility close to home.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Telecardiology Services
The ER or attending physician orders the consult. The Altus staff then communicate and schedule the consult time with the cardiology group. A consent is obtained from the patient to utilize the telecardiology platform. The NP or Cardiologist will have reviewed the patients visit and diagnostics prior to the consult. When it is time for the consult a nurse will come to the bedside with the computer and camera.
The patient and nurse with communicate with the provider from the cardiologist group via camera and microphone. We will utilize a special stethoscope that allows the provider to hear heart, breath, and abdominal sounds as if they were examining the patient at the bedside. The provider may ask the nurse to palpate a specific area to see if intermittent pain or a certain feeling is reproducible, but overall, the patient will not experience discomfort.
A patient that presents with chest pain, complaints that could be cardiac related, a strong family history of cardiac issues, or someone with known cardiac history.
We attempt to do all consults the same day or next day depending on the time of day the consult is ordered.
We can consult the group 24 hrs a day via phone for any issues but telecardiology is completed between 8A-5P based of the providers schedule in the office.
During the consult the provider will typically discuss the follow up plan with the patient. Follow up depends on exam findings and how soon they need to see them in the office or have follow up testing. Most patients are seen within two weeks. Depending on insurance some patients need a referral so quick follow up with a PCP is recommended as soon as discharge so that the cardiologist appointment is not delayed. If a patient has a current cardiologist they wish to follow up with, we can assist with making a follow up appointment if the patient needs us to do so before discharge.