Marion VA Health Care System Service Spotlight - Cardiology

Protecting your heart is one of the most important things you can do for your overall health. Whether you already have a condition that affects your heart health, or you are at risk of cardiovascular disease, the Cardiology Team of the Marion VA Health Care System can help. We offer Cardiology Services at our Main Marion Campus as well as the Evansville Heath Care Center. This month, we have also started a Cardiology clinic at our Paducah, KY Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC). 1-2 days a month, Veterans will be able to meet with a Cardiologist to address heart health issue as well as pre and post procedure follow ups. 

Benefits to routine cardiology care include blood pressure management, lowering your cholesterol, monitoring any current cardiovascular disease as well as assessing risk of any future disease. 

The Cardiology Department provides the following services, including but not limited to:

1. Cardiac Stress Testing
2. Echocardiogram (EKG)
3. General Cardiology Outpatient Clinic
   1. Coronary artery disease
   2. Cardiac rhythm issues
   3. Lipid management
   4. Hypertension management
4. Chronic Heart Failure Clinic
   1. Dedicated provider with short wait time to first appointment
   2. Focus on guideline directed therapy for heart failure.
   3. Appointment as soon as same day for acute changes in condition
   4. Multidisciplinary approach to care
   5. Intensive education on disease process, symptom monitoring and recognition, diet, medications.
   6. Collaboration with Advanced Heart Failure Team at John Cochran with access to advanced therapies including Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), and heart transplant.
5. Device Clinic for Pacemaker and defibrillator monitoring.
6. Cardiac Cath Lab
   1. Pacemaker insertion
   2.  Loop recorder insertion
   3. Transesophageal echocardiogram/Cardioversion
   4. Diagnostic left heart catheterization
   5. Right heart catheterization

We would like to take a moment to highlight the outstanding Cardiology Team and the services they provide to our nation’s heroes. They a very diverse group with years of experience. We visited the team and interviewed staff and would like to introduce some of them to you.

One of our senior staff is Dr. Parag Madhani. He is a Cardiologist and VA Medical Section Service Chief. He has had the pleasure of providing care to our Veterans for the past 11 years. Prior to the VA he practiced at the River to River Heart Group at Heartland Regional Medical Center. He loves the ability to do both clinical work and perform cardiovascular procedures. He feels that Veterans should come to the VA to get the care they deserve. He brags on his department,” We have a robust clinical cardiology program that provides leading edge therapies in cardiovascular medicine.”

The Marion VA Health Care System is proud to welcome the newest member of the Cariology Team, Dr. Son Le! Dr. Le comes to us from Prairie Cardiovascular. He is excited to join the team and provide excellent Cardiology Care for the Veterans of this great nation! 

A new member of the Cardiology Team is Cardiac Cath Lab Tech Jami Giroux. She is in her first year with the Marion VA and previously worked in the SIH Carbondale Cardiac Cath Lab for almost 8 years. Jami says “I am constantly learning something new. I love every aspect of the cardiovascular system. Learning about new meds, procedures and interventions is a passion of mine. We have a great team here. Everyone works well together, and we truly care about our veterans and their care.”

14-year cardiology Stress Test Nurse, Casey Hall brings her experience to the VA via her previous tenure with Prairie Cardiovascular. When asked about her 14 years, Casey says” I love this specialty. My mother is an echo tech. Cardiology always felt like home. We build strong relationships with our veterans and truly care about their health & well-being. They deserve the best care and I believe we provide that here.”

Amanda Prince, LPN, has been with the team for almost 2 years now. Her previous experience was in the SIH Obstetrics Unit. When asked about her transition into Cardiology, Amanda said” I have learned so much in cardiology. I find the heart incredibly interesting. The veterans we see are very kind. We also have a pretty great team. We are growing in the cardiology department, and we have a team that truly cares about your heart health.”

Also new to the team is Kim Newell, Cardiac Cath Lab Nurse. She came to the VA in July of 2023. Prior to the VA she worked for several years at Good Samaritan Hospital in Mt. Vernon in the Cath Lab, followed by SIH Carbondale as the STEMI/Stat Heart Coordinator and manager of the Cardiac Care Decision Unit. When asked about her choice to work in cardiology, Kim stated” I LOVE hearts, and the team I work with! My co-workers are some of the most kind, caring and knowledgeable people I know! Our veterans should absolutely come to us here at the VA for their heart care. With a team with vast experience and knowledge, they are getting high quality care that keeps them at the center of our focus. We respect and value their service. We want to give to them as they have given to all of us!”

Heart Failure Clinic Nurse Practitioner, Kim Goddard, brings a wealth of experience to the team. New to the team but not the VA, she in in her 6th year serving our nation’s heroes! Prior to Cardiology, Kim was the Inpatient Nurse Manager. Her prior experience includes working at SIH for 10 plus years in multiple roles:  as inpatient nurse/supervisor on cardiac stepdown unit, STEMI program coordinator, system Clinical Nurse Specialist for Critical Care. Her thoughts on the Cardiology Team, “Our team members have diverse experience in multiple facets of cardiac care, and everyone pulls together to share their knowledge and expertise to give the Veteran the highest quality care. We love serving our Veterans and can take the extra time to listen to concerns and meet their needs.  We are always accessible to answer questions and address concerns and work to coordinate appointment scheduling to coincide with other departments.  Our CHF clinic offers intensive management to help reduce hospital admissions for heart failure and offers same day appointments for patients experiencing increased symptoms.”

The Marion VA Heath Care System loves our Veterans! We want to be the clinic of choice to provide all aspects of care to include cardiology services. We thank you for your service and for choosing us to provide you with excellent health care.