Overview
Advanced Cardiac Specialists (ACS) is a
privately-owned Cardiology
and Internal Medicine
practice founded in 1991 in Phoenix, Arizona.
We have grown over the last sixteen years
to include 9 locations statewide, with 27 physicians, 6 nurse
practitioners, 7 physician assistants, and a staff of 300 employees. As of April 2008, our practice had a cumulative volume
exceeding 141,000 patients.
Advanced Cardiac Specialists
(ACS) and AZ Internal Medicine
Clinic, a division of ACS, are a unique example of how
comprehensive health care can be provided to a large volume
of
patients, combining the strengths of primary care with leading-edge cardiovascular care, in a cost-effective and easily
accessible way. The close
and constant interaction between Internists
and Cardiologists in the practice allows for each patient to receive
quality overall medical care, in a timely and cost-efficient manner.
Advanced Cardiac
Specialists, in terms of the quality of care and services provided to
patients, ranks in the top 1% of the country’s best. Its team of Interventional Cardiologists, Noninvasive
Cardiologists, Internists and Mid-level Providers has earned national
recognition on numerous occasions over the last six years, for their
pioneering work in the scientific and clinical fields of medicine.
Our Cardiovascular Program was selected as one of the top 100 in
the country by Solucient’s annual 2002 ranking.
Cardiovascular
Research
The ACS Research Department is an
internationally reputed state-of-the-art cardiovascular research site
with a successful, high-volume, quality program, serving a potential
patient base of over 60,000. The
number of patients who benefit from our programs has increased more than
500% over the last three years.
We are participants in a multitude of
leading interventional and drug trials.
ACS is proud of the fact that our research trials specifically
target our sickest patients who have complex coronary heart disease,
left ventricular dysfunction, heart failure and arrhythmias.
This enables them to take full advantage of new and advanced
medications not otherwise available at other physicians’
offices/hospitals, at no additional cost to them.
It also means “hands-on” experience for our physicians under
a controlled setting, and familiarity with the advantages /
disadvantages, well ahead of the new medication being available for
general use / prescription.
The ACS Research Department maintains its
own computerized Coronary Angioplasty Registry, Peripheral Vascular
Intervention Registry and Heart Failure Registry.
We have presented the results of our original
research at prominent international scientific forums in the United
States, Canada, Europe and the Indian subcontinent, including nearly 45
original research presentations over the last 3 years.
This included a “Featured Research: State-of-the-Art”
presentation at the Scientific Sessions of the American Heart
Association in November 1997, and a “Special Interest” presentation
at the XXIst Scientific Congress of the European Society of Cardiology
in August 1999.
Interventional
Cardiology
|
ACS owns and operates its own cardiac
catheterization laboratories. The
General Electric (GE) Cath Lab within Phoenix Memorial Hospital in
downtown Phoenix, boasts advanced biplane technology and has been used
by GE as a show-site. It is
the most cost-effective imaging system in the city, with no downtime and
no loss of treatment opportunity in more than six years of operation.
The mobile cath lab offers on-site state-of-the-art diagnostic
facilities and electro-physiological study capability to cardiologists
in Phoenix and neighboring areas.
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The ACS Catheterization Laboratory is a
high-volume center for interventional cardiology, performing a
significant number of coronary and peripheral angioplasties each year. We are also active participants in several noteworthy coronary
stent and interventional device evaluation trials, which aim to
involve our patients in leading-edge medical technology even before it
is available to the general public.
The ACS Cath Lab is staffed round-the-clock by well-trained,
licensed and experienced technical personnel, facilitating a very active
program of “Primary Angioplasty in Acute Myocardial Infarction”.
In fact, our management of patients with acute myocardial
infarction received a five star***** rating by an independent agency
that rated 14 high-volume cardiovascular facilities in the state of
Arizona. An NBC- affiliated
television station reported in October 1998, that an independent agency
graded hospitals based on their management of acute myocardial
infarction and the number of deaths that occurred.
“Fourteen Arizona hospitals were rated.
Five stars is the best, 3 stars is average.
Only (ACS’ Cath Lab at) Phoenix Memorial Hospital got 5
stars*****. All of the
other hospitals got 3 (or less) stars.”
Noninvasive
Cardiovascular Diagnostic Facilities
ACS offers our patients benchmark cardiac
and vascular noninvasive testing
facilities, due to our commitment to stay at the cutting-edge of
technology. Our ultrasound
machines are digital and include the latest advances in technology,
facilitating optimal visualization in a multitude of cardiac, carotid,
aortic and other peripheral vascular ultrasound procedures. Tests offered include echocardiography (transthoracic and
transesophageal), exercise / dobutamine / Doppler stress echo testing,
abdominal and thoracic aorta scanning, carotid and peripheral arterial
imaging, venous duplex imaging, renal artery and intrarenal vascular
imaging and evaluation of arteriovenous fistula in dialysis patients.
ACS is one of a handful of facilities in Phoenix performing
transcranial Doppler (TCD) studies.
Skilled and registered technologists, well-versed in the latest
techniques, perform tests. This
is reflected in the consistently high quality of testing at our offices.
ACS is proud to be an ICAEL-accredited
ultrasound facility for adult cardiac ultrasound testing in
echocardiography, all types of stress echocardiography and multiplane
transesophageal echocardiography. We share this achievement with only one other site in the
entire southwest.
Cardiac
Rehabilitation
|
Cardiovascular disease is the leading
cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States.
At ACS we are proud to offer all our eligible patients a
multifactorial, well designed and personalized cardiac rehabilitation
program (Phase I, II, and III). Our
experience shows that carefully supervised cardiac rehabilitation
consistently improves objective measures of exercise tolerance,
decreases the need for re-hospitalization, and decreases resource
consumption, without significant cardiovascular complications.
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Community
Outreach Programs
ACS actively initiates and participates in
educational and community outreach programs throughout the state.
Our cardiologists regularly interact with and address
preventative and rehabilitative health concerns of the citizens in the
community. In addition,
special projects have been developed for patients and their families in
our research and rehabilitation programs, to interact with each other
and with our physicians and staff, as well as to address specific issues
and concerns.
Additional
Features
Heart Failure
Clinic
at our Gilbert location, which combines the strengths of comprehensive
cardiac care with leading-edge research trials, in an efficient and
personalized manner. This
ensures that benchmark standard of care is available to the maximum
number of patients with heart failure, in an effort to improve their
survival and quality of life.
Transradial
Approach in Cardiac Catheterization Procedures
We have established several Coumadin
Clinics statewide, which allow finger-prick testing and immediate
test results in the doctor’s office, obviating the need for painful
blood draws and waiting for results.
Acupuncture
Clinic
at our Gilbert location, which is run by an Internist with the
practice. The Acupuncture Clinic brings together the best of Eastern
and Western forms of medicine, facilitating its integration into a
more traditional Western practice.
The physician has received comprehensive training in
acupuncture for six months through the Office of Continuing Medical
Education (CME) at the UCLA School of Medicine, which is accredited by
the Accreditation Council for CME. Problems that respond especially
well to acupuncture include those affecting the musculoskeletal
system, as well as the digestive, respiratory, and genito-urinary
systems.
At Advanced Cardiac Specialists, we
believe that how we care determines who we are. That is why a dedicated team of physicians and staff works
round-the-clock to put our adage into practice every single day:
“leading-edge medicine in everyday care”.
Privacy
Policies
NOTICE of
PRIVACY
POLICIES
Correspondence
Address:
2050 W. Southern Ave.
Apache Junction, AZ 85220
480-982-2800
THIS NOTICE
DESCRIBES HOW INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU
CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
Introduction
At
Advanced
Cardiac Specialists (ACS), we are
committed to treating and using your protected health information
responsibly. This Notice of Privacy Policies describes the personal
information we collect, and how and when we use or disclose that
information. It also describes your rights as they relate to your
protected health information. This Notice is effective April 14, 2003, and
applies to all protected health information as defined by federal
regulations.
Understanding Your Health Record/Information
Each time you visit Advanced Cardiac Specialists (ACS),
a record of your visit is made. Typically, this record contains your
symptoms, examination and test results, diagnoses, treatment, and a plan
for future care or treatment. This information, often referred to as your
health or medical record, serves as a:
• Basis for planning your care and treatment
• Means of communication among the many health
professionals who contribute to your care
• Legal document describing the care you received
• Means by which you or a third-party payer can
verify that services billed were actually provided
• A tool in educating heath professionals
• A source of data for medical research
• A source of information for public health
officials charged with improving the health of this state and the nation
• A source of data for our planning and marketing
• A tool with which we can assess and continually
work to improve the care we render and the outcomes we achieve
Understanding what is in your record and how your
health information is used helps you to: ensure its accuracy, better
understand who, what, when, where, and why others may access your health
information, and make more informed decisions when authorizing disclosure
to others.
Your Health Information Rights
Although your health record is the physical property of
Advanced Cardiac Specialists (ACS), the information belongs to you.
You have the right to:
• Obtain a paper copy of this Notice of Privacy
Policies upon request.
• Inspect and copy your health record as provided
for in 45 CFR 164.524
• Amend your health record as provided in 45 CFR
164.528
• Obtain an accounting of disclosures of your
health information as provided in 45 CFR 164.528
• Request communications of your health information
by alternative means or at alternative locations
• Request a restriction on certain uses and
disclosures of your information as provided by 45 CFR 164.522, and
• Revoke your authorization to use or disclose
health information except to the extent that action has already been
taken
Our Responsibilities
Advanced Cardiac Specialists (ACS) is required to:
• Maintain the privacy of your health information
• Provide you with this Notice as to our legal
duties and privacy policies with respect to information we collect and
maintain about you
• Abide by the terms of this notice
• Notify you if we are unable to agree to a
requested restriction, and
• Accommodate reasonable requests you may have to
communicate health information by alternative means or at alternative
locations
We reserve the right to change our privacy policies and
to make the new policies effective for all protected health information we
maintain.
We will not use or disclose your health information
without your authorization, except as described in this notice. We will
also discontinue using or disclosing your health information after we have
received a written revocation of the authorization according to the
procedures included in the authorization.
For More Information or to Report a Problem
If have questions and would like additional
information, you may contact the practice’s Privacy Officer at (480)
982-2800 or
Advanced Cardiac Specialists
Attn: Privacy Officer
2050 W. Southern Avenue
Apache Junction, AZ 85220
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated,
or if you have questions about this notice, or if you would like to know
how to file a complaint, please contact our practice’s Privacy Officer
at (480) 982-2800. There will be no retaliation for filing a complaint
with our Privacy Officer.
Examples of Disclosures for Treatment, Payment and
Health Operations
We will use your health information for treatment.
For example:
Information
obtained by a nurse, physician, or other member of your health care team
will be recorded in your record and used to determine the course of
treatment that should work well for you. Your physician will document in
your record his or her expectations of the members of your health care
team. Members of your health care team will then record the actions they
took and their observations. In that way, the physician will know how you
are responding to treatment.
We will also provide your other treating physicians
with copies of various reports that should assist him or her in treating
you.
We will use your health information for payment.
For example
:
A bill may be sent to you or a third-party payer. The information on or
accompanying the bill may include information that identifies you, as well
as your diagnosis, procedures, and supplies used.
We will use your health information for regular health
operations.
For example
: Members of the
medical staff, the risk or quality improvement manager, or members of the
quality improvement team may use information in your health record to
assess the care and outcomes in your case and others like it. This
information will then be used in an effort to continually improve the
quality and effectiveness of the healthcare and service we provide.
Business associates
:
There are some services provided in our organization through contacts with
business associates. Examples include physician services in the emergency
department and radiology, certain laboratory tests, and a copy service we
use when making copies of your health record. When these services are
contracted, we may disclose your health information to our business
associate so that they can perform the job we’ve asked them to do and
bill you or your third-party payer for services rendered. To protect your
health information, however, we require the business associate to
appropriately safeguard your information.
Notification
:
We may use or disclose information to notify or assist in notifying a
family member, personal representative, or another person responsible for
your care, your location, and general condition.
Communication with family
:
Health professionals, using their best judgment, may disclose to a family
member, other relative, close personal friend or any other person you
identify, health information relevant to that person’s involvement in
your care or payment related to your care.
Research
De-identified
Private Health Information (PHI) may be used by Advanced
Cardiac Specialists Research Department. for
research and quality assurance projects. ACS physicians may present this
research to both the national and international medical scientific
communities.
Funeral directors
:
We may disclose health information to funeral directors consistent with
applicable law to carry out their duties.
Organ procurement organizations
:
Consistent with applicable law, we may disclose health information to
organ procurement organizations or other entities engaged in the
procurement, banking, or transplantation of organs for the purpose of
tissue donation and transplant.
Communication:
We may contact
you to provide appointment reminders or changes or information about
treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that
may be of interest to you.
Workers compensation
:
We may disclose health information to the extent authorized by and to the
extent necessary to comply with laws relating to workers compensation or
other similar programs established by law.
Public health
:
As required by law, we may disclose your health information to public
health or legal authorities charged with preventing or controlling
disease, injury, or disability.
Law enforcement
:
We may disclose health information for law enforcement purposes as
required by law or in response to a valid subpoena.
Federal law makes provision for your health information
to be released to an appropriate health oversight agency, public health
authority or attorney, provided that a work force member or business
associate believes in good faith that we have engaged in unlawful conduct
or have otherwise violated professional or clinical standards and are
potentially endangering one or more patients, workers or the public.
AVISO
sobre
LAS POLITICAS DE PRIVACIDAD
Dirección para Correspondencia:
2050 W. Southern Ave.
Apache Junction, AZ 85220
480-982-2800
Introducción
En
Advanced
Cardiac Specialists (ACS) estamos
comprometidos a tratar y utilizar la información sobre su salud de manera
responsable. Este Aviso de las Políticas de Privacidad describe la
información personal que recopilamos y cómo y cuándo la usamos y
revelamos. También describe sus derechos sobre su información de salud
protegida. Este Aviso tiene efecto el día 4 de abril, 2003 y corresponde
a toda la información de salud protegida según está definido en las
normas federales.
Entendiendo Su Historia/Información sobre la
Salud
Cada vez que usted visita Advanced Cardiac Specialists (ACS),
se hace un historial de su visita. Normalmente, este historial
contiene sus síntomas, el exámen y los resultados de las pruebas, los
diagnósticos, el tratamiento y el plan para los cuidados o el tratamiento
futuro. Esta información, a menudo mencionada como su salud o historial
médico, sirve para:
Base para planificar su cuidado y tratamiento.
Medio de comunicación entre los muchos profesionales
de la salud que participan en su cuidado.
Documento legal que describe el cuidado que usted ha
recibido.
Medio por el cual usted o un tercer partido que es el
pagador, pueden verificar que los servicios incluidos en la factura
fueron realmente llevados a cabo.
Herramienta para educar a profesionales de la salud.
Fuente de datos para investigación médica.
Fuente de información para los funcionarios de salud
pública que están encargados de este estado y del país
Fuente de datos para nuestra planificación y
mercadeo.
Herramienta que nosotros podemos evaluar y
continuamente trabajar para mejorar el cuidado que proveemos y los
resultados que conseguimos.
Entender lo que contiene su historial y cómo se usa su
información de la salud le ayuda a: asegurar su veracidad, entender mejor
quíen, dónde y por qué otros pueden tener acceso a dicha información,
y a hacer decisiones con pleno conocimiento cuando autoriza que la
información se puede hacer disponible a otros.
Sus Derechos Sobre la Información de la Salud
Aunque su historial de salud es propiedad física de
Advanced Cardiac Specialists (ACS),
la información le pertenece a
usted. Usted tiene el derecho de:
• Obtener, previa petición, una copia en papel de
este Aviso de las Políticas de Privacidad.
• Revisar y copiar el historial de salud según está
estipulado en 45 CFR 164.524.
• Enmendar su historial de salud según está
estipulado en 45 CFR 164.528.
• Obtener información de las veces que se revela la
información según está estipulado en 45 CFR 164.528.
• Pedir información de su historial de salud por
otros medios o en otros sitios.
• Solicitar restricción en ciertos usos o en el
hacer disponible su información según está estipulado en 45 CFR
164.522, y
• Cancelar su autorización para usar o revelar su
información de la salud excepto para la acción que ya ha sido llevada a
cabo.
Nuestras Responsabilidades
Advanced Cardiac Specialists (ACS) está
obligado a:
• Mantener la privacidad de su información de
salud.
• Darle este Aviso como parte de nuestras
obligaciones legales y las políticas de privacidad sobre la
información que recopilamos de usted.
• Obedecer las condiciones de este aviso.
• Informarle si no estamos de acuerdo con alguna de
las restricciones que usted ha pedido.
• Acomodar las peticiones razonables que usted haga,
para pasar la información de la salud a otros medios o lugares.
Nos reservamos el derecho de cambiar nuestras
políticas de privacidad y de hacer efectivas políticas nuevas para toda
la información protegida que mantenemos de la salud.
No usaremos o revelaremos la información de su salud
sin su autorización, excepto según lo que está indicado en este aviso.
También interrumpiremos el uso o revelado de la información de salud
después de haber recibido por escrito la cancelación de la autorización
y según lo que indique la misma.
Para más información o para informar de un problema
Si tiene preguntas y le gustaría recibir información
adicional, puede ponerse en contacto con el Funcionario del Uso de la
Privacidad (Privacy Officer) al número (480) 982-2800 o
Advanced Cardiac Specialists
Attn: Privacy Officer
2050 W. Southern Avenue
Apache Junction, AZ 85220
Si cree que sus derechos de privacidad han sido
violados, si tiene preguntas sobre este aviso, o si le gustaría saber
cómo poner una queja, favor de contactar a nuestro Funcionario del Uso de
la Privacidad (480) 982-2800. No habrá represalias contra usted por poner
una queja con nuestro Funcionario.
Ejemplos de la Disponibilidad de Información para el
Tratamiento, Pago y Funciones de la Salud
Utilizaremos su información de salud para el
tratamiento
Por ejemplo: La
información obtenida por una enfermera, médico u otro miembro del equipo
del cuidado de su salud se pondrá en su historial y se usará para
determinar el curso de tratamiento que le irá bien a usted. Su médico
pondrá en su historial lo que espera de los miembros del equipo del
cuidado de su salud. Los miembros del equipo pondrán en su historial las
acciones tomadas y sus observaciones. De esa manera, el medico sabrá
cómo está usted respondiendo al tratamiento.
También proveeremos a sus otros médicos que le tratan,
copias de los reportes que deben ayudarles en su tratamiento.
Usaremos su información de la salud para el pago
Por ejemplo: Se
le puede enviar una factura a usted o a un tercer partido que va a pagar.
La información que se encuentra en la factura o que esté adjunta a la
misma, puede incluir información que le identifica a usted, así como su
diagnóstico, los procedimientos y los materiales utilizados.
Usaremos su información de salud para funciones
generales sobre la salud
Por ejemplo: Miembros
del personal médico, el administrador de riesgo y mejora de la calidad o
miembros del equipo de mejora de la calidad pueden usar información de su
historial de salud para evaluar el cuidado y los resultados en su caso y
en otros como el suyo. Esta información será entonces usada para mejorar
continuamente la calidad y la efectividad del cuidado de la salud y el
servicio que proveemos.
Asociados del negocio: Hay
algunos servicios en nuestra organización que se proveen por medio de
contactos con negocios asociados. Ejemplos incluyen los servicios de
médicos en el departamento de emergencia y radiología, ciertas pruebas
de laboratorio y el servicio de copia que utilizamos cuando necesitamos
copias de su historial de salud. Cuando se contratan estos servicios,
podemos revelar su información de salud a nuestros asociados para que
puedan hacer el trabajo que les hemos pedido y enviarle la factura a usted
o a un tercer partido que va a pagar por los servicios prestados. Para
proteger su información de salud, sin embargo, pedimos a los socios que
la protejan.
Notificación: Podemos
usar o revelar información sobre dónde se encuentra y el estado general,
para avisar o ayudar en avisar a un miembro de la familia, persona
representante o a otra persona responsable de su cuidado.
Contacto con la familia: Los
profesionales de la salud, usando su mejor tacto, pueden revelar a un
miembro de la familia, a otro pariente, a un amigo personal o a cualquier
otra persona que usted identifique, información de la salud que es
importante para la participación de esa persona que está cuidádole o
para el pago de su cuidado.
Investigación: El
Departamento de Investigación de Advanced Cardiac Specialists pueden usar
Información Privada de la Salud (PHI), sin los datos que identifican al
paciente, para proyectos de investigación y seguridad de calidad. Los
médicos de ACS pueden presentar esta investigación a las comunidades
médicas nacionales e internacionales.
Directores de Funerarias:
Podemos revelar información de salud a los directores de funerarias,
según lo manda la ley, para que puedan llevar a cabo sus
responsabilidades.
Organizaciones para la compra de órganos
Según lo que aplica la ley, podemos hacer disponible
la información de salud a las organizaciones que compran órganos o a
otras entidades involucradas en la compra, banco o transplante de órganos,
para la donación de tejido y transplante.
Mensajes: Podemos
contactarle para recordarle citas o cambios, o para darle información
sobre alternativas de tratamiento u otros beneficios y servicios
relacionados con la salud que pueden interesarle.
Compensación de los Trabajadores:
Podemos revelar información de la salud según está
autorizado y hasta el punto que sea necesario para cumplir con las leyes
de compensación de los trabajadores u otros programas similares
establecidos por la ley.
Salud Pública: Según
lo ordena la ley, podemos revelar su información de salud a las
autoridades públicas o legales encargadas de prevenir o controlar
enfermedad, lesión o discapacidad.
Policía: Podemos hacer
disponible la información de salud para la aplicación de la ley, según
lo ordena la misma o en respuesta a una citación válida.
La ley federal hace disposiciones para que su
información sea revelada a una agencia de salud que es apropiada y a una
autoridad de salud pública o abogado, siempre que el grupo de trabajo o
asociado crea de buena fe que hemos actuado ilegalmente o que hemos
violado las normas profesionales o clínicas y están posiblemente
poniendo en peligro a uno o más pacientes, trabajadores, o al público.
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