Benjamin V. Dubois, MD

Certain health insurance policies require that you obtain a referral from your Primary Care Physician (PCP) prior to receiving care from a specialist’s office, such as ours. It is the patient’s responsibility to ensure a valid referral is on file prior to the appointment. Please note that failure to obtain the necessary referrals may require alternate payment arrangements or the rescheduling of your appointment.

Thank you for your understanding.

Woodholme Cardiovascular Associates

Dear Patients,

Please note that we have received an alert from another practice that scammers are trying to obtain credit card information by acting like they represent medical offices on behalf of a patient satisfaction survey company. This of course is NOT communication from Press Ganey, the company that represents LifeBridge Health. Please be aware of this scam attempt and please contact the practice right away if you are asked to provide credit card information. As always, we thank you for completing the Press Ganey surveys that you receive either my mail or email.

Recommendations On Who Should Take Aspirin. 

We are aware that the New York Times published an article on October 12th (“Aspirin Use to Prevent Heart Attack or Stroke Should be Curtailed. U.S Panel Says”) and we would like to give our patients perspective and guidance. 

 This article is a summary of information known since 2018 when several trials were published that changed the recommendations on the routine use of aspirin in people without prior history of stroke, coronary disease (with or without prior heart attack), or peripheral vascular disease.  What the research says is that in the absence of those conditions, aspirin to prevent one of these conditions has a higher risk of causing bleeding than preventing a patient from developing one of these conditions. 

People with the following conditions should remain on 81 mg of aspirin: 

• prior stroke 
• heart attack or coronary stent 
• known coronary disease, including having been told you have a positive calcium score  
• peripheral vascular disease or peripheral vascular stent 
• History of TIA or stroke 

Check with your doctor, but people who probably do not need aspirin include people without the above listed conditions, but are taking aspirin: 

• Because they have a family history of heart disease 
• Because they are diabetic 
• Because they think everyone should be on aspirin. 

 In summary, aspirin has shifted from a “why not” drug (“why not take it, it may help”) to a “why drug” (why am I taking aspirin? Do I have one of the conditions listed above?) 

Since we at Woodholme Cardiovascular Associates have been aware of these recommendations for years, you probably have been properly advised. However, if you still have questions, you can contact us. We are not commenting on the recommendations for aspirin use in pregnant women or by gastroenterologists.  

The Doctors at Woodholme Cardiovascular Associates

The Doctors at Woodholme Cardiovascular Associates care dearly about the cardiovascular health of all of our patients. We have been asked by many of our patients whether they should get either of the two COVID vaccines.

You could help prevent a “twindemic” of influenza and Covid-19, they say. Doctors have specific advice for people over 65, pregnant women and those with egg allergies. Here’s what you need to know. Check out this article from the NY Times. It may be more important than ever to get your flu shot. Click the following link: Get Your Flu Shot – NY Times Article

COVID-19 descended on us in early March and has not only changed the world around us but also turned our own worlds upside down. This hasn’t stopped people from doing essential tasks.  We all put on our masks and place a small bottle of sanitizer in our pocket and go to the grocery store, careful to practice social distancing as we shop for our families.

We at Woodholme feel your health carries the same priority.  If you have a scheduled appointment or have a symptom that you are at all worried about that could be cardiac, we think you should be safely evaluated and we can safely do that one of three ways:

1. Telehealth visit:  Most people have smartphones which allows a Woodholme doctor to either address your complaint or continue to ensure you are practicing good preventive care so that your heart condition does not flare up. This can be done without you leaving the safety of your own home.  For an elderly or non-English-speaking parent we can conference in a family member.
2. Phone visit:  For those without the ability to video chat, we can talk to you over the phone to take a careful history, review your meds and address your concerns.
3. In-office visits:  Good old-fashioned face-to face visits remain the most appropriate way to troubleshoot potential cardiac issues. Woodholme Cardiovascular is fully operational, and when appropriate, we can see you or test you any day of the work week. We are compliant with all current guidelines and are screening people for COVID-19 symptoms and are asking everyone to wear masks and sanitize rooms between visits.

Patients are understandably fearful to contact an office or emergency room for fear of exposure to the virus, and doctors around the country have noticed many fewer patients are seeking medical attention.  Unless fear of Coronavirus cures you of cardiac disease, we fear that patients are unnecessarily putting their hearts and lives at risk by allowing problems to worsen before it is too late.  Please value your hearts because we sure do.

Please contact us so we can make sure you stay healthy.

Practice social distancing, wear facemasks in public and let us help take care of you.

The Doctors at Woodholme Cardiovascular Associates