Referring Physicians: Interventional Cardiology

Interventional cardiologists at Rush are experts in minimally invasive procedures that lead to faster recovery and fewer complications than traditional open heart surgery. They use catheter-based approaches via small incisions in the radial artery of the wrist or the groin to fix blockages, place stents and perform other interventions as needed. Our team also includes structural cardiologists who subspecialize in using these procedures to treat problems with heart valves.

In Rush’s modern cath lab, interventional cardiologists perform comprehensive evaluations, including pulmonary artery catheterization, biopsies of the heart or arteries and coronary function testing for patients with suspected coronary microvascular dysfunction who have otherwise normal coronary artery function. In collaboration with our cardiothoracic surgeons and full heart and vascular team, they provide care for each patient as a whole and present them with all available treatment options.

Our team can also offer access to clinical trials that present patients with treatments they may not find anywhere else. These include dyadic valve trials for TAVR, PASCAL implants for degenerative mitral regurgitation and drug-eluting balloons (DEB) to treat coronary artery disease. They also perform all modern interventional techniques, such as chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary interventions (CTO PCI) with mechanical circulatory support.

Who Are Ideal Candidates for Treatment at Rush?

Any patient who has suspected or diagnosed heart or valve disease, whether simple or complex, will find expert evaluations, second opinions and care options from Rush interventional cardiologists. These include patients with the following:

Myocardial infarction
Stable angina
Microvascular disease
Abnormal stress tests
Previous failed coronary intervention
High risk for open heart surgery
Valvular heart disease
Aortic stenosis
Mitral regurgitation
Septal defects
Patent foramen ovale
Tricuspid regurgitation

Why Refer Patients Here?

Advanced diagnostics: Beyond the full spectrum of tests and imaging tools, including MRIs, CT scans, intravascular ultrasound and minimally invasive biopsies, we also offer coronary function testing — an advanced imaging test for patients with angina who have otherwise normal coronary arteries.
More treatment options: Aside from access to clinical trials, our interventional cardiologists offer a range of minimally invasive treatment options, especially for patients who are ineligible or at high risk for traditional surgical intervention. These include TAVR, MitraClip procedures and other catheter-based procedures that result in faster recovery, less rehab and less pain for patients.
Nationally recognized care: U.S. News & World Report includes Rush on its Best Hospitals Honor Roll and ranks our cardiology and heart and vascular surgery programs among the best in the country. It also ranks Rush as “high performing” in TAVR procedures, heart failure care and heart attack care.

What Is the Process for Referring a Patient?

To refer your patient to Rush for interventional cardiology, you can call our Provider Express Line at (312) 947-4725. You can also learn more and find an online provider referral form on our Refer or Transfer a Patient page.

The referring physician is included in every step of the process when they send their patient to our interventional cardiologists. Patients are generally seen within a week.

Your patient’s care team will contact you with results of any evaluations, recommended care plans and follow up after any procedures via email, phone call or text depending on your preference. You will be included in any decision-making regarding treatment.