Ask a Texas Heart Institute Doctor
Informed patients make better patients.
Web Health Awards
"Ask a Texas Heart Institute Doctor" is a 2010 Merit Winner in the Web Health Awards competition in the category of Interactive Content Hospital/Health Care System. The award honors high-quality electronic health information and Texas Heart Institute is proud that our forum has been recognized for its contribution to consumer health education.
Health Literacy Innovations honored the THI website with a 3rd place award (October 2011) in the category of Clear Focus Multi-Media for demonstrated commitment to excellence in health literacy in media usability and design. The award recognizes the Heart Information Center online library of health topics as well as Ask a Heart Doctor, Project Heart, and Center for Women's Heart & Vascular Health.
Comments from Users
We appreciate feedback from people who have used the Ask a Heart Doctor site to search for subjects of interest or to submit a question. Here are some recent responses.
I just want to thank you for helping me to know what things mean. I am so confused and you can't talk with your own Dr. or your heart specialist or his nurse on an on-call basis. It takes a lot of red tape. Thanks again. This is a blessing. [Editor's note: We hope our responses encourage and open up communications with your health care team. Our motto is "Informed patients make better patients," so we're glad we're helping you.]
I think it is a good supplemental resource. I can ask follow up questions but during my appointment, I don't have all of the data and I can't always remember what I wanted to ask until I get home, then I have to wait until my next appointment. THE SERVICE IS GREAT. Keep up the good work.
Great for second opinion.
The Web site is an invaluable community service. Thank you so much for making it available. Using this Web site and going to a doctor's office complement each other--the Web site is a trustworthy resource that helps patients become well-informed, so that they can 1) seek appropriate care in a timely manner, 2) advocate effectively for themselves or their loved ones, and 3) partner effectively with their doctors. [Editor's note: Thank you for stating our exact mission so effectively.]
It was confirmation of what I had expected would be the answer, so it relieved me of having to continually think about the possibility of alternatives.
Since I don't personally know any heart doctors other than my own, I merely wanted to see if there were other opinions out there. His matched my doctor, and that was affirming.
This service is innovative and worthwhile. By utilizing the service patients can get a world class opinion rather than get worked up over a bad case of googling.
Thank you . . . it's not always easy to talk to Doctors.
I wasn't satisfied by the answer; I needed more information. [Editor's note: We understand and appreciate how hard it is to provide every individual a full and appropriate answer. A couple of suggestions: search the Ask a Heart Doctor site for previous responses to questions on your subject and try the main Heart Information Center site for topics related to your question. Thanks for the feedback.]
Thank you for the peace of mind you have provided me and my family.
Another cardiologist's opinion is helpful - appreciate your offering this service.
The service is great. I was looking for a straight answer from a doctor, and I got the answer. I already asked the same question and doctors and nurses . . . didn't know the answer and instead of finding the answer, they just recommended to my husband to avoid the MRI, and do the operation to solve the problem of his knee. He already had 3 operations in the last 12 months and . . . the problem is not fixed yet. Thank you.
I really appreciate this site. It was very helpful, I was making myself paranoid reading various info on the internet. I feel more relaxed and comfortable with my family practice doctor's course of action and feel I can go into my next visit more informed. Thank you very much.
Great service, especially as it is so easy to access. Thank you so much for advice.
Thanks for being available for people from all over the world!
The service was excellent! However, I forgot to tell Dr. that I do take meds at night also. Thanks for your help. [Editor's note: It helps to make a few notes before a doctor visit to remind ourselves about things to mention and things to ask.]
Great service !! Thanks !
Would like to be able to email the doctor with documentation/films and follow up questions. [Editor's note: Detailed follow-up is best handled with your own doctor. ]
My questions were not answered, not even in general terms. [Editor's note: We hope you will give us a chance to better understand your question another time.]
My question here is that did Dr. Cooley really respond to my question? If so, it would be a coincidence because he performed open heart surgery on me in 1981 and 1982. [Editor's note: Yes, each of the doctors cited prepares his or her own response.]
Super professional service !!
Just found it! Wonderful service; esp great as I do not believe we have similar service here in Canada. Although I know this is not for personal diagnosis, it would be nice to be able to follow-up by giving doc more specifics or asking questions. Much appreciated quick, detailed response.
This is an absolutely wonderful service. I was an RN at St. Luke's and had no idea this was available. Although I live in Seattle now, if I do indeed have some heart valve problem, I will be flying to Houston for my care.
I am blown away by your service. After reading my response from the doctor, I continued researching your site for more helpful information that I will explore here in my home town of Phoenix. One must be proactive in their health and not rely on one doctor's opinion. Thank you and the doctor ever so much. Kind regards.
Thank you so much for answering my question. I wish there was a way to receive a referral for the Ft. Worth area. I don't know any cardiologists that specialize in metabolic syndrome.
I am very impressed with the response within a very short time ( only 4 working days). Answer was brief but understandable. Thank you very much. Thank you for this service. It is most appreciated.
I am not at all sure who should pay for this service or whether it should be free. It would seem that the questions would generate patient interest/need to come in and see a doctor there. Thank you, again, for this service.
This was my 1st on your site. I used the site for a second opinion. I loved the fact your Heart Doctor was in accord with my Heart "Electrician". Since this correspondence I have had a cardioversion. . . . I think you all are doing a great job and have told both family and friends about Ya'll. Thanks Very Much.
KEEP DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING; AN OUTSTANDING JOB. WE NEED THIS TYPE OF SERVICE IN PARTICULAR WHEN THERE ARE PROBLEMS TO SEE A DOCTOR IN OUR AREA.
I think that it is great to be able to see what other options and medicines are available for people with afib and that there are others "out there" who know what you are going through. Thank you.
Great Service!
I needed a more detailed answer to my question from the doctor, but also, the doctor would need more information from me in order to give me a complete answer to my heart question.
It is a good secondary source of information and not intended for a diagnosis. That is why I have a primary care physician.
I think it is excellent, and I greatly appreciate the opportunity to communicate and get answers from specialists working in such a highly reputable institution. Thank you.
I am blessed that I even found it. Thank you so much. Your Cardiologist professionals are a God Send!
I would not substitute this service for a doctor apt, but I certainly thought it was helpful...like another opinion.
Great Service! Coming from a well respected institution.
This is an excellent service, I could not find the answer to my question in searching the internet and your answer gave me the exact information I was seeking.
I think it is great. I kind of knew the answer I would get, but still felt better.
Thanks for making it available.
EXCELLENT AND VERY INFORMATIVE.
I really appreciate the opportunity to get another opinion besides the one from my cardiologist.
Thanks for answering my question so quickly. . . . this answer today just made me feel so much better. Thank you!
I really appreciated getting straight info right away because fear and worry and waiting is the hardest of any health issue.
Congratulations for your "Ask a Doctor" project and many thanks for your quickness in answering. I know I asked too much questions and (my English could be better), so I perfectly understand the doctor did not answer everything.... In any case, thank you so much!!!!
This service is very helpful to us.
I think this service is a type of 'second opinion' - even if you go to a doctor that you have respect for, hearing you have problems with your heart is scary.
I was just happy to get a quick response from a doctor that is specialized in this area, that addressed my questions - instead of viewing patient's blogs on websites - when you do not know the history/source, and can do more harm than good - in placing fear in patient's psyche. Thank you for your help.
I want to thank you very much your excellent attention.
Appreciate the help. Each doctor adds more information to help put together the puzzle.
I wanted to be able to show internist that my cardiologist was correct - they are adamantly giving me an ultimatum which I feel is inappropriate to do to a patient - the cardiologist should have top say in my health care in this situation. Thank you very much for the support.
The service is great for support of whether a patient feels they need to follow up on their diagnosis.
This forum is a wonderful education tool; I appreciate the time the doctors put in the answers. Just wish I had found it weeks ago.
My question was answered with great detail and plenty of insight! I will definitely use this site again and suggest it to my family and friends!
I believe this is a good service, because it helps people to have an option to look for an alternative form of finding solutions to their health problem.
It has given hope of repairing blocked artery, rather than amputation of leg.
I thank you for this valuable site. A doctor just answered my questions that were lingering in my mind after I had some tests. It reassured me to have another doctor confirm what my doctor told me. I'm very thankful for the doctor's time and this site.
I just appreciate this. This is one of those places where you can ask difficult questions not in front of my mother so as not to stress her out needlessly as she thinks my dad is doing well. I do hope she is right but I am concerned. Thanks a ton.
I don't know if I should call my doctor about my pulse rate being so low, and of course it's the weekend and someone would have to be paged, and I don't know if this is a serious enough problem that I should do that, so I'm doing this. I live alone and it's scary not knowing if something life-threatening is wrong with me.
I had two heart attacks two years ago, three stents, bypass surgery and then an ICD [implantable cardioverter defibrillator] placed. Your site has given me more information about my heart disease and condition than my cardiologist group. Thank you! I have made your site one of my favorites, as I always have another question!
This service is wonderful. It helped me understand my husband's condition.
Your web site is so easy to use and the service of being able to ask a doctor a question is such wonderful idea. No other major [heart center] that ranks with your reputation offers anything so unique as ... ask the doctor!!!
"Keep up the good work and thank you 4 the opportunity to access your web site and use you page as a one stop 4 all information concerning the heart. Thank you.
I am so pleased I found your website just by browsing. I have a daughter who was born with a heart disease called Truncus Arteriosus and has had five open heart surgeries and multiple other surgeries besides and even after all that and 13 years later I still have lots of questions about her heart, so please keep this service, it's awesome.
This is my first encounter, and I desperately look forward to any information you can provide ... I have looked over and read many parts of the website, and am so enlightened and thankful this resource is available...!
Information and links were very useful and informative. My cardiologist has offered very little in terms of prognosis, plan of care, diet or exercise since my heart cath. A physician I work for gave me an article on your facility regarding an LVAD [heart-assist device]. This article lead me to your webpage and information. I especially like being able to ask a question to your cardiologists.
Thank you so much! I have read several of the questions that people asked and I was amazed at the depth of some of the answers. This service is invaluable.
This is an excellent format for questions forgotten to ask a doctor.
I came to this site through a friend who is a research librarian. I'm happy to have found it.
We invite you to provide feedback to help us improve our service by using the form provided.
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Updated April 2012
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