Cardiology

Our program is led by a multidisciplinary team that includes cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, cardiothoracic surgeons, electrophysiologists and interventional cardiologists who use leading-edge technology and innovative procedures to provide comprehensive heart care. Our electrophysiologists, who are also referred to as heart rhythm specialists, were the first in the Chattanooga area to:

• Implant a magnetic resonance imaging-compatible implantable cardiac defibrillator
• Perform the convergent procedure to treat atrial fibrillation (AFib) that persists after ablation procedures
• Use the left atrial appendage closure implant to reduce stroke risk in AFib patients

Our hospitals are proudly recognized by Healthgrades as Five-Star recipients in the treatment of heart attack, heart failure and pacemaker procedures. Additionally, Parkridge Medical Center is a Blue Distinction® Center of Excellence for Cardiac Care, with expertise in delivering improved patient safety and better health outcomes.

When you're experiencing chest pain, Parkridge Health System offers six sites of emergency care that serve Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia.

Certified as Chest Pain Centers by The Joint Commission, our 24/7 emergency rooms at Parkridge Medical Center and Parkridge East Hospital are especially equipped to rapidly diagnose and treat chest pain and offer a range of services, including cardiac catheterization labs and comprehensive imaging. Additionally, our freestanding emergency care centers treat cardiac emergencies and can facilitate admission to one of our Chest Pain Centers if more advanced care is needed.

You do a lot in your life, and so does your heart. That's why cardiovascular disease needs to be met with a strong prevention plan. We provide a wide range of heart screening and imaging services to help you get ahead of heart disease, including cardiac MRI imaging, cardiac calcium scoring, cardiac stress testing and echocardiograms. Additionally, we provide diagnostic procedures using the latest technology in our cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology labs.

If heart surgery is part of your treatment plan, our skilled cardiac surgeons and interventional cardiologists have the expertise to provide the advanced heart care you need. Whenever possible, we use minimally invasive techniques, including catheter-based and robot-assisted surgery, to safely and effectively perform surgery for structural heart disease and complex heart arrhythmias. These surgeries are often less painful and have shorter recovery times than traditional open-heart surgery.  Our heart surgeons specialize in many procedures, including: AFib ablation, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

Additionally, our cardiac surgery program at Parkridge Medical Center has earned a distinguished three-star rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons for isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, placing us among the highest-performing cardiac surgery programs in the country.

Using minimally invasive techniques and advanced imaging, our vascular specialists are dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of vascular conditions. Some of the common vascular conditions and blood vessel diseases we treat include carotid artery disease, peripheral artery disease and varicose veins. We also provide rapid care for strokes, aneurysms and blood clots.

We are dedicated to improving your heart health and minimizing your risk of re-hospitalization following a heart attack, heart failure, angioplasty or heart surgery. Our intensive cardiac rehabilitation program is carefully structured to meet your individual goals and capabilities and is centered around physical activity, nutritional education and stress management.