MDNews - Central New York

Crouse Medical Practice Cardiology Central New York's Premier Cardiac Care Team BY THOMAS CROCKER BACKED BY THE ADVANCED CAPABILITIES OF ONE OF THE REGION'S LE ADING CARDIAC CARE DESTINATIONS, AND WITH A NE ARLY 40-YE AR REPUTATION FOR PROVIDING OUTSTANDING, PATIENT-CENTERED CARE, CROUSE MEDICAL PR ACTICE CARDIOLOGY IS TR ANSFORMING HE ART CARE IN CENTR AL NE W YORK. ESTABLISHED IN THE early 1980s, what is now Crouse Medical Practice Cardiology gradually grew from a single-physician organization to one of the largest and most diverse cardiology practices in the region. The practice features 12 cardiologists with expertise in interventional and diagnostic cardiology, electro- physiology, nuclear cardiology, congenital heart disease and heart failure, among others, as well as four nurse practitioners. Crouse Medical Practice Cardiology's team is a blend of clinicians with decades of experience in the field and those who have completed their training more recently. All clinicians, however, bring new treatment techniques to the service line. Joseph Battaglia, MD, FACC, interventional cardiologist and a founding partner of Crouse Medical Practice Cardiology, joined the practice shortly after it was established in 1985 and has been present for its important milestones, including when the practice joined Crouse Health in 2015. "Crouse Health recognizes the importance of cardiac care services to Central New York and has been extremely supportive of our practice," Dr. Battaglia says. "Crouse Medical Practice Cardiology has always had a culture that prioritizes listening to patients and doing what's best for them above all, and Crouse Health shares that culture." CARE ROOTED IN COLLABORATION To the members of Crouse Medical Practice Cardiology, the group's culture, more than any other factor, distinguishes the practice from others in Central New York. A spirit of collaboration that encompasses not only the members of the practice, but also the specialists with whom the cardiologists consult and the physicians who refer patients to Crouse Medical Practice Cardiology, is the group's defining trait. "Our clinic is a general cardiology clinic, so we see patients with all sorts of cardiac conditions," says John Ulahannan, MD, one of Crouse Medical Practice Cardiology's newest members and a specialist in interventional cardiology. "Often, I'll consult a colleague for advice on cases when I know they'll have valuable insights. Patients want that kind of team-based approach. One cardiologist quarterbacks a patient 's care, but everyone is needed. That's what makes a good team." "Each member of the practice brings unique strengths and skills, and my partners and I leverage that expertise every day," Dr. Battaglia says. "I may ask a colleague who specializes in cardiac MRI whether an MRI would benefit a certain patient. Other partners may ask their colleagues who are experts in electrophysiology about the best way to manage patients with particular heart rhythm problems. When patients receive care from one of us, they receive it from all of us." An important member of every patient's care team is the physician who refers him or her to Crouse Medical Practice Cardiology, which is why the members of the practice go to great lengths to seek input from the clinicians who know patients' medical histories best, and keep them informed as individuals' cardiac care progresses. "Our cardiologists aren't consultants — they are highly trained physicians who treat patients like family through the entire care journey, not just acute episodes," says Seth Kronenberg, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Crouse Health. "They excel at coordinat- ing care around a cardiac condition, and they see themselves as partners with the other physicians who may be caring for each patient." 0 6❱❱❱❱❱ C O V E R S T O R Y Seth Kronenberg, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Crouse Health 0 6

• Cover