Have you ever asked your cardiologist

puttypiesmom · ‎10-11-2017

For a lipid panel? Apparently I committed a terrible faux pas. My cardio man told me he's not a primary care physician. I really thought a lipid panel would be of interest to my cardio doctor as it's kind of related to the heart, do you think? It's not like I was asking a proctologist for a lipid panel. I think I don't want to be his patient anymore.

Trinity11 · ‎11-16-2014

@puttypiesmomwrote:
For a lipid panel? Apparently I committed a terrible faux pas. My cardio man told me he's not a primary care physician. I really thought a lipid panel would be of interest to my cardio doctor as it's kind of related to the heart, do you think? It's not like I was asking a proctologist for a lipid panel. I think I don't want to be his patient anymore.

Come to think of it @puttypiesmom, my cardiologist (none of them) have ever run a lipid panel on me unless I was in the hospital. The one I have now always asks me how my cholesterol is and expects my endocrinologist to run it. Maybe they figure why do it twice if it is being done by our Primary Physician or endocrinologist.

conlt · ‎03-16-2010

I don't have a cardiologist but my primary doctor runs a lipid panel on me at least once a year.

Zhills · ‎11-15-2011

A Lipid Panel is run when the PCP runs a CBC if requested.

Lipids include cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL).

However, I have had a Berkley Expanded Liped Panel that was requested by the cardiologist. It is about 27? different counts of the lipids in your blood and I don't remember what else it checks but it checks a lot more.

ALRATIBA · ‎07-15-2016

No .. I can't think of any time I asked any doctor to do any tests.

My PCP actually told me I'm better off avoiding doctors.

mac116 · ‎03-26-2010

I see a Primary Care as well as a cardiologist . My PCP orders all of the blood work, and the results are made available to my cardiologist . EKG and echocardiogram tests are ordered by my cardiologist, with the results available to my PCP. I don't think that I've ever requested any tests. But then again, I am a nervous wreck during doctor appointments.

SuperShopper · ‎08-23-2011

It was not a faux pas for you to ask the cardiologist, and it is unfortunate that he made you feel weird for asking. Hopefully next time he will take a moment to explain his statement more. His nurse or physician's assistant might be able to answer your questions too. Sometimes doctors are just too blunt in their comments, not remembering that we as patients don't know everything they know about how the system works.

I think the reason why he could not or would not order that test for you is because of rules set by the insurance companies. Apparently only certain types of doctors are allowed to order certain types of tests by the insurers. I have run into this with certain tests ordered by my gastroenterologist, others by my PCP internist. It appears the insurers are trying to avoid duplication of testing and keep costs down by controlling how and when procedures are done.

They are also trying to avoid fraud on the part of providers running unnecessary tests, overbilling, etc.

I'm not sure what the rules are with Medicare or other government run insurances (Medicaid, etc).

Make sure that all your doctors are provided with the reports on all your blood work and tests (MRI, CAT scan, X-rays, mammogram, bone density, etc). Each provider or testing facility should have standard forms for you to fill out to request such disclosure of information. They must have your written permission to disclose information to others because of the HIPAA laws. Talk to one of the assistants in the front office. They do this all the time for patients.

In my area, more and more caregivers are working in clinics with multiple specialities, sometimes attached to a hospital. They are using electronic medical records so that each caregiver can access all the data from all your caregivers in that system, which is really helpful when you have an issue that requires multiple specialities to assess and treat.

Please do not feel like you did anything amiss. Over the last number of years, the health care landscape has been changing dramatically and everyone is scrambling to keep up with changing protocols.

Praying for you the best of health and many years of happy fulfilling life!

Montana · ‎03-09-2010

If your cardiologist does not do lipid panels, that is a simple fact. What I don’t understand is the attitude because you asked him to do it. And I would have told him so.

puttypiesmom · ‎10-11-2017

The problem I am facing is my PCP is in a clinic with a network of doctors and the cardiologist is much too far a distance for me to drive.The clinic is very conservative, no thinking outside of the box. If you have a question that they don't want to answer they get exasperated because you are cutting into their time for the next patient. My cardiologist too said that he only had 15 minutes for me and to not waste that time with non essential questions that should go to another doctor. It was my endocrinologist who told me to see a cardio doc and he hadn't ordered a lipid panel. It takes months to get an appointment and they take appointments 2 years in advance. He sees me once a year and so my next appointment is not until January 2019, so I asked the cardiologist for the lipid panel. It was my PCP who referred me to the endo doctor. I'm tired of this.

BeccaLou · ‎02-09-2016

@puttypiesmomwrote:
For a lipid panel? Apparently I committed a terrible faux pas. My cardio man told me he's not a primary care physician. I really thought a lipid panel would be of interest to my cardio doctor as it's kind of related to the heart, do you think? It's not like I was asking a proctologist for a lipid panel. I think I don't want to be his patient anymore.

Becca lou wrote: I went to a Cardiologist like that , Guess what ? I quit going to him. He just acted so stupid. So go with your gut , he's sounds like a stupid.