Step by Step Guide

Typical Patient Journey

A Step by Step guide to what you can expect

Every patient is unique, and so every journey is unique. There is however a general path that most patients follow, at least for the initial steps. We’ve listed and described them here so you have a good idea of what to expect, and how to prepare. Simply click on the steps below to learn more.

1. Pre Visit

Before you leave home, there a few things you should note:

  • Wear comfortable clothing and flat shoes, as you may be asked to run on a treadmill.
  • Bring any medication that you are taking, so we can verify the name and dosage.
  • Bring your health insurance policy number (Irish Life Health, Glo, Laya, VHI).
  • Payment is due on the day, and can be made by cash, draft, debit card, credit card or cheque with banker’s card.
  • There is on-street parking outside. You will need a parking disc which is available at reception.

2. Initial Evaluation

One of our cardiac nurses will go through the questionnaire you completed to verify the details and assess your medical history.

3. Cardiac Tests

There are usually two parts to this, both of which are normally carried out by one of our cardiac physiologists.

  • Echocardiogram (Echo): 30 minutes
  • Exercise Tolerance Test (Stress Test): 30 minutes

4. Review & Diagnosis

This consists of a pre-review with a Cardiac Nurse. Your results will be analysed by a healthcare professional and will be discussed with you in detail.

At this stage, over 90% of patients are given the all clear and do not require surgery or additional treatment. Of course, you may be given some medical advice and recommendations on lifestyle changes.

5. Hospital Procedure

This is where an appointment may need to be made for you in one of the hospitals which we use. These procedures may include:

  • Angiogram
  • Stenting - Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI)
  • CT Scan
  • Cardiac MRI Scan
  • Bypass Surgery
  • Pacemaker / Defibrillation (long-term implantable Heart Monitor)

6. Follow Up Care

We will look after your follow up care once you have had any Cardiac Procedure.

  • Post Surgery checkup with your Cardiac Surgeon
  • Ongoing Cardiac Monitoring
  • Ongoing device checks
  • Annual health checks

7. Health Management

Routine follow-up visits help keep patients motivated and on track to ensure everything is alright and there’s no recurrence of your original complaint.

  • These checks help us spot new problems at an early stage
  • They also allow for changes in recommended therapy
  • Follow-on checks allow the patient to benefit from new approaches to disease management as they become available