I am in this fight to maintain the doctor-patient relationship and to protect my patients. I favor reform that will allow us to take care of our patients appropriately and to the best of our abilities. If the bureaucrats and lawyers who dictate policy can allow me to do so without interfering in my relationship with my patients and without placing them in harm’s way then I will agree to their proposals.

However, as a result of the CMS 2010 proposals and the ongoing debate in Congress over healthcare reform I am very concerned about the well-being of my patients, their families and all Americans. Every week cardiologists, like myself,  see patients in their offices whose lives have been saved by having quick access to the critical tools needed to diagnose and treat their heart disease.

It is so satisfying as a physician and better for the patient to be able to get the patient in for the right imaging test right away in our office; to discuss the results with the patient that same day; and decide on the best treatment options to keep that patient functioning with the best quality of life possible.

The right test for the right patient at the right time, interpreted by qualified professionals who adhere to appropriateness criteria and evidence based medicine and who know the patient’s medical history—that’s what patients deserve and that’s what cardiologists must have access to in order to be able to provide the best possible care.

Arie Szatkowski, MD, FACC

Tennessee