FAQ

We test individuals age 15 and over. There is no upper age limit.

The kinds of tests you should have depend first of all on whether you are undergoing a screening evaluation or whether you have specific symptoms that concern you.

The tests used as part of a screening evaluation will vary depending on your age and other factors. As a general rule, youth and young adults  are well served with a consultation, 12-lead ECG, and echocardiogram. For individuals who have reached an age at which coronary disease is more prevalent, a coronary calcium scan, CIMT test, stress test, and other tools are available to help assess cardiovascular health.  The testing may be more selective or more exhaustive depending on your needs. We have designed 2 standard packages that fit most of our patients’ needs, but the packages can easily be individualized. Dr. Accad makes himself available at no charge to help plan your evaluation and to answer any question that you may have.

If you have particular symptoms that concern you, then the type of symptoms may warrant that certain specific tests be performed. For example, palpitations are often evaluated with an ECG and with one form or another of a heart rhythm monitor.  Concerns about high blood pressure can be evaluated with different tests, including an ambulatory blood pressure monitor, an echocardiogram, and even a treadmill test, depending on the situation. Again, a brief phone call with Dr. Accad can help plan the consultation and testing strategy.

Apart from the treadmill stress test, most of our tests do not require any special preparation. If you are scheduled for a stress test, we recommend that your last heavy meal be at least 3 hours before your scheduled appointment, but you may have a light meal one hour before your visit. Beverages, including tea and coffee, are OK anytime before your visit. Bring comfortable clothing and shoes to walk or run on the treadmill. If possible, avoid using cream or lotion on the chest on the morning of your test. For men, we may use a gentle disposable razor to remove chest hair in the specific spots where the ECG leads are placed.

Out of respect for those scheduled after you, we ask you to arrive promptly on-time.  If you are delayed more than 10 minutes, we reserve the right to re-schedule your session.

The cardiovascular testing we offer is non-invasive and extremely safe. Echocardiography uses ultrasound waves to obtain images of the heart and blood vessels and has no known appreciable risks. Stress testing is extremely safe. In non-selective retrospective surveys of medical practices (where testing is done primarily on patients with established or suspected active cardiac disease), the risk of a serious complication is less than 1 in 10,000.

We believe the risk in our setting to be much lower, especially as we begin the session with a thorough cardiac history, physical, ECG, and echocardiogram, and our cardiologist is on site conducting the test. In many aspects, we surpass the recommendations for safe stress testing established by the American Heart Association.

Furthermore, if one is to have a cardiac complication during exercise, it stands to reason that a medical office is a better setting for such an occurrence, as compared to the park or the trail!

You can rest assured that all the information obtained during your evaluation remains confidential and is not released to anyone without your expressed consent.

We ask for your credit card information when you schedule a visit and ask for a refundable $200 deposit.  Our cancellation fees are:

• $65 if you cancel your appointment 12 to 48 hours prior to the scheduled time of your visit.
• $95 if you cancel your appointment less than 12 hours prior to the scheduled time of your visit.

We kindly request full payment on the day of testing.  We accept Visa, MasterCard or American Express credit cards.

We will gladly assist you in filling out a claim form so you may obtain reimbursement from your health insurance plan.  Please be advised that we do not have contracts with insurance companies and are considered “out of network.”   Also be advised that reimbursement can vary widely depending on the specific terms of your plan, your deductible, and whether your plan will cover advanced screening evaluations.  Medicare beneficiaries should not expect any reimbursement from Medicare or supplemental plans.

Metered-parking is fairly easy to obtain around the neighborhood. Have sufficient coins with you, or you can use the payment option by credit card (via the 800 number marked on the meter, or via the parking phone App). You may also find free street parking West of Franklin Street and East of Larkin Street, about 2-3 blocks from Van Ness Avenue. A few neighborhood parking garages are listed at the bottom of the home page on this website.