Scheduling an Appointment
A nurse will work with you to schedule an appointment for a consultation or procedure. You will be instructed on how to complete the new patient paperwork and send to our office along with insurance information. You will also be asked to complete a medical release form.
Planning Your Appointment
After reviewing your records, a nurse will let you know which tests must be performed prior to your appointment. You will need to have had a recent echocardiogram, which measures the chambers of your heart. If you have had a prior cardiac ablation, you will need to have had a CT Angiogram to evaluate your pulmonary veins.
Testing may be performed by your local physician or we can schedule tests at the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute.
Length of Appointments
If you schedule a consultation only and are from out of the area, we suggest you arrive in Austin the night before your appointment and plan to leave the day after your appointment. If you are coming in for a procedure, you will stay overnight in the hospital after the procedure and be released the following day. If you do not live in the area, you will be asked to stay in Austin for two days following your hospital discharge.
St. David's Medical Center has negotiated discount rates at area hotels.
Insurance
Please direct questions about insurance coverage to Michelle Fishel at (512) 615-6239.
Ongoing Education
Patients at the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute benefit from ongoing guidance and support provided by nurses from the Center for Arrhythmias and Atrial Fibrillation. During your physician consult, a nurse will meet with you to provide education regarding your condition and the treatment recommended by the electrophysiologist. If you have a procedure, a Nurse Navigator will visit with you in the hospital and will provide follow-up telephone guidance in the weeks and months after hospital discharge.