Blog by Dr. David Wendt

Greetings,

This is the first blog writing for The Chattanooga Heart Institute at CHI Memorial Hospital. We have decided to write this blog because time in the office is limited and there are many things we don’t get to talk about. Additionally, there are many news items about which you may have questions. Your next visit may be several months away, hence the questions go unanswered or are answered from unreliable sources. Our hope is that you will use this resource to have questions answered between visits.

We (physicians and patients), are all confronted with time constraints in the office setting. Across the country, the average office visit is 13 minutes or less (time spent with the doctor is even less). During that time, a great deal has to be accomplished. We want you to maximize that encounter. Therefore, the first few blogs will be spent highlighting things that might help optimize this interaction. Your office visit requires preparation on the part of both patient and the physician, and it’s helpful for you to do your part.

Medicine is said to be an art grounded in science. In practice, that translates to caring for the whole being–mind, body, and spirit. As you prepare for your next visit, consider keeping a health diary of your symptoms. Write down basic details such as when your symptoms started, how long they lasted, what you were doing at the time, and if you took any medicine to feel better. Check and record your blood pressure and heart rate. Engage family members to help you record accurate information. Your input is the key to a successful encounter with your physician – and you can never be over prepared. Just like bringing your medicines to your visit, your health diary should always come with you.

Our favorite patient is the one who comes with the most information. Having said that, be mindful that if you come with a list of 20 problems/questions, it’s unlikely that more than 3 or 4 can be answered in a single visit. As cardiologists, we rely on your primary care physician to help us and our focus will be on those problems related to your heart.

Future blog entries will explore some of the things that you can do between visits to maximize your heart health and overall physical and spiritual well-being.

I hope you join us in the dialogue.

David J Wendt MD
and the physicians of the
Chattanooga Heart Institute

It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so. – (misattributed to) Mark Twain