1. What is a cardiologist?
2. What is the difference between M.D. and D.O.?
3. What do the initials after a doctor's name mean i.e. FACC, FACP, FSCAI?
4. What do the initials after a mid-level provider's name mean?
5. What is a Cardiovascular Internist?
6. I have an appointment with a mid-level provider, who is that?
7. Why am I seeing a mid-level provider?
8. What is the difference between a nurse practitioner (NP) and a physician assistant (PA)?
9. Where can I see a Cardiovascular Associates cardiologist?
10. In which location does my provider see patients?
11. I've never been to Cardiovascular Associates before, how do I schedule an appointment?
12. What can a new patient expect at their first visit?
13. What is the role of the nurses at Cardiovascular Associates of Northern Wisconsin, S.C.?
14. How soon can I expect my results?
15. When can I expect a call back?
16. How long will it take to get a prescription refill called to my pharmacy?
17. What information is needed to expedite my call?
18. How will I be notified of my results?
19. I just got my cholesterol results, can you explain HDL, LDL, trigs and total cholesterol numbers?
20. If I'm experiencing a problem, where do I call?
21. Which insurance carriers and networks does Cardiovascular Associates contract with?
22. What is the financial and collection policy?

A cardiologist is a physician who has advanced training and is certified to treat problems of the heart, arteries and veins, or cardiovascular system.

A cardiologist can be either an Medical Doctor (M.D.) or Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.).

M.D. - Medical Doctor

D.O. - Doctor of Osteopathy

Medical Doctors and Doctors of Osteopathy are comparable in their training and licenses:

1. Both are licensed to perform surgery and prescribe medicine.
2. They complete 4 years of basic medical education from an accredited medical school.
3. Following medical school, they can choose to practice in a specialty area of medicine after completing a residency program.
4. Both must pass comparable, often identical state licensing examinations.
5. Both have privileges and can practice in fully accredited, licensed hospitals and medical centers.

D.O.s typically practice a "whole person" approach to medicine while M.D.s tend to treat specific symptoms or illnesses. At Cardiovascular Associates, M.D.s and D.O.s practice in very similar ways.

FACC - Fellow of The American College of Cardiology - Candidates must be certified both by a primary specialty board and by a subspecialty board that is a member of either the American Board of Medical Specialties or the Advisory Board for Osteopathic Specialists of the American Osteopathic Association. For more information on the American College of Cardiology, visit their website at www.acc.org .

FACP - Fellow of The American College of Physicians (ACP) - The ACP's mission is to enhance the quality and effectiveness of health care by fostering excellence and professionalism in the practice of medicine. For more information on The American College of Physicians, visit their webstie at www.acponline.org .

FSCAI - Fellow of The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCA&I) - Focus areas for SCA&I include establishing standards and guidelines for all aspects of cardiac catheterization and angiography, training, credentialing, safety and quality assurance for cardiac purposes. For more information on the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, visit their website at www.scai.org .

PA-C - Physician Assistant - Certified

ANP-C - Adult Nurse Practitioner - Certified

FNP-C - Family Nurse Practitioner - Certified

Internist - A specialist in Internal Medicine who has continued his/her training to specifically treat diseases of the heart.

Physician extender and mid-level provider are terms used to apply to advanced trained professionals who are physician assistants or nurse practitioners. They offer high quality, cost effective health care through a team approach by collaborating with physicians. They obtain medical histories and conduct physical examinations. They are trained to assess the health status of a patient, deliver preventive care, counsel patients on psychosocial and health problems, diagnose and treat acute illnesses, and manage chronic illnesses.

Mid-level providers or Physician Extenders are licensed professionals who work in conjuction with the physicians to provide care on a timely basis, improve patient access, assist with patient care follow-up and provide patient education.

Mid-level providers are supervised by a physician. This means all services are rendered under a physician's supervision and control.

Nurse practitioners (NP) are registered nurses with advanced education, usually at the master's level, and the clinical competency necessary for delivery of primary care. A master's degree is necessary in the State of Wisconsin for entry-level practice. The State Boards of Nursing regulate nurse practitioners (NP) and each state has its own licensing and certification criteria. In Wisconsin nurse practitioners (NP) must have certification by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or a specialty nursing organization. Most states grant nurse practitioners (NP) prescription-writing privileges.

A physician assistant (PA) is licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision. Most physician assistant (PA) programs now require applicants to have a minimum of two years of college credits and some health-care experience. Training spans at least two years. Physician Assistants (PA's) are required to pass a national certifying examination developed by the National Board of Medical Examiners.

The difference between physician assistants (PA) and nurse practitioners (NP) is a gray area. The difference is often described in terms of supervision. Physician assistants (PA) are licensed to practice with the supervision of a physician, while nurse practitioners (NP) often seek a collaborative relationship with physicians. Within the Cardiovascular Associates organization the role of the nurse practitioners (NP) and physician assistants (PA) is very similar.

Our providers travel between 8 locations including: Antigo, Eagle River , Medford , Rhinelander, Stevens Point , Wausau , Wisconsin Rapids and Woodruff.

Dr. Paul Anselmo - Wausau

Dr. Fausto Devecchi - Wausau

Dr. Richard Engelmeier - Wausau , Rhinelander, and Woodruff

Dr. Joel Furda - Wausau, Eagle River and Rhinelander

Dr. Tim Grady - Wausau, Stevens Point and Medford

Dr. Pavel Guigauri - Wausau, Rhinelander, Stevens Point and Wisconsin Rapids

Dr. Mark Hoffmann - Wausau, Rhinelander and Antigo

Dr. German Larrain - Wausau, Antigo, Rhinelander and Wisconsin Rapids

Dr. Tim Logemann - Wausau, Stevens Point, Wisconsin Rapids and Medford

Dr. Paul Luetmer - Wausau, Antigo and Rhinelander

Dr. David Murdock - Wausau, Rhinelander and Antigo

Diane Anderson, FNP-C - Medford

Carie Cihlar, PA-C - Wausau, Antigo, Rhinelander and Stevens Point

Rhonda Bartelt, FNP-C - Wausau and Rhinelander

Lori Erdman, ANP-C - Wausau, Medford, and Stevens Point

Tom Hans, PA-C - Wausau, Antigo and Rhinelander

Carla Heiden, PA-C - Wausau, Antigo, and Rhinelander

Melissa Wendell, FNP-C - Wausau, Antigo, and Rhinelander

If you are referred to Cardiovascular Associates of Northern Wisconsin, S.C. from another medical office the referring physician's office will forward all necessary medical information. Generally, no written authorization is required as it is a referral. Your physician's office will call our office to schedule an appointment with one of our cardiologists. They will indicate how soon you need to be seen. Our scheduling staff will inquire about any past medical history so our physicians have all the necessary information at the time of your appointment.

If the patient is a "self-referral" no appointment will be scheduled until the symptoms are assessed, by an RN, to determine how soon the patient should be seen. New patients may call our office direct to schedule an appointment. The patient will talk with a scheduler. The scheduler will take down the necessary information i.e. patient's name, date of birth, phone number and all pertinent information regarding their symptoms. The scheduler will indicate to the patient that a nurse will call them back to get more information.

After the nurse has talked with the patient, she will then indicate how soon the patient needs to be seen by the cardiologist and one of the schedulers will then call the patient to set up the appointment. A new patient packet along with release of medical record form(s) and self-addressed stamped envelope will be sent to the patient. Patients can also print the new patient forms online.

After an appointment is scheduled, the patient will receive a packet from our office or you can print the forms on-line. No packet will be sent to the patient if the appointment is within 2 days from the date that the appointment was made. The packet will contain each of the following:

Introduction letter which will include date, time and place of appointment

Demographic form

History Intake form

Notice of Privacy Practices

Privacy form

Financial Policy

Letter regarding TeleVox (house calls)

Authorization to release and assign insurance benefit form(s)

After an appointment is scheduled, the new patient will get a call from our in-house system, TeleVox, the night before their appointment reminding them of the type of appointment, as well as the time and place of the appointment.

The patient should bring all completed forms, their insurance card(s) and all medications in their original bottles to their appointment.

The nurse will be your main contact person for medical questions or problems. Each doctor works with specific nurses, if you are having problems you will talk directly to the nurse, she will discuss your problem with the physician and call you back. The nurses also review all your labs and tests results with the physician and will call you, or send you a letter with those results and the physician's recommendations.

We will get your test results back to you within 1 week. You can expect your lab work results within 2 weeks.

Calls received before 2:00 pm will be returned the same day. Calls received after 2:00 pm may not be returned until the next day. If you are having problems be sure to let the switchboard know that it is urgent and you will need a call back the same day.

Once you call our office for a prescription refill it will be called to your pharmacy by the end of the next business day. We recommend that you do not wait until you are out of your medication to call the office, try to call at least 1 week ahead of time.

When requesting a refill please leave your name, date of birth, name of medication and dosage requested, and how you are taking it, along with the name of the pharmacy and it's location.

When you call the office, please leave your name (with correct spelling), date of birth, a phone number where you can be reached, and a brief description of your problem or request.

Patients who have blood work done are usually notified via letter. If there is a change in your medication(s), a nurse will call you. Other test results will be relayed via phone, however, if the test is normal and we are unable to reach you by phone you may receive a letter.

High levels of cholesterol increase your chance of coronary heart disease. Coronary heart disease is a disease of the blood vessels of the heart that causes a heart attack. Improving your cholesterol numbers help to reduce your risk of getting heart disease.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in the blood stream. High levels of fats in the blood stream are often associated with increased risk for developing blockages in the arteries, stroke and heart disease. Cholesterol comes from 2 main sources. First, cholesterol is produced by the liver. Second, cholesterol is present in the diet from animal sources. Foods from plants do not contain cholesterol.

Cholesterol can build up in the inner walls of arteries. Plaque forms narrowing the arteries. Plaque that ruptures can cause blood clots. If a clot blocks the artery to the heart, it causes a heart attack. The term cholesterol refers to the total cholesterol. This is the amount of cholesterol in your blood stream. This number can be broken down further into the different types of cholesterol. Your body makes all the cholesterol you need. Eating foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol can raise your blood cholesterol level. A desirable level of total cholesterol is less than 200. If you have documented coronary artery disease the desired level is less than 180.

LDL (low density lipoprotein) also known as "bad cholesterol" transports the majority of the body's cholesterol. The more LDL particles you have the greater the amount of cholesterol that is delivered to the cells. LDL particles that are smaller and denser tend to speed up the development of blockage. Recommended LDL levels are dependent on your risk level for heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, individuals with 2 or more risk factors should have levels below 130. If you are at high risk or already have heart disease your level should be below 100.

HDL (high density lipoproteins) also known as "good cholesterol" is responsible for removing a portion of the cholesterol deposited in plaques and returning it to the liver to be cleared, this process can slow the rate of blockage formation. Increasing your HDL level may be beneficial in helping decrease the risk for future heart disease. HDL levels that are too low add to your risk of developing coronary artery disease. According to the American Heart Association desirable levels of HDL are 45 for men and 50 for women. An HDL level above 60 is considered protective against heart disease.

Trigylcerides are another form of fat found in the blood stream. This form of fat serves as a source of energy and is stored in the fatty tissues. Very high levels of this fat has been linked to the development of heart disease and extremely high levels can lead to a severe and potentially life-threatening illness called pancreatitis, which is caused by the inflammation of the pancreas.

Other factors associated with cholesterol are measured with advanced testing. These include LDL particle size, LDL particle number, Lpa and Homocystiene. Talk to your doctor to see if these may be appropriate for you.

For additional information visit the following links: American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute.

You can call our office 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our toll-free number is 800-441-4013 and our office hours are 7:00am-5:00pm Monday thru Friday. After office hours we have a physician on call, an answering service will take the information and have someone call you back.

AHC (Associates for Health Care)

AHP (Accountable Health Plans)

Blue Cross/Compcare

CIGNA

Group Health (MA Managed Care)

Health Partners

Humana

NCHA (North Central Health Care Alliance )

Security Health Plan (including Advocare and MA HMO)

Medicare

The Alliance Cooperative

Wisconsin Medicaid

Managed Health Services (MA HMO)

WEA (Wisconsin Education Association)

WPPN (Multi Plan)

WPS/NCHPP

Stockbridge Munsee

United Health

We are also a member of Aspirus Network, Inc., formerly Preferred Health Services.

Click here to review the financial/collection policy.