At ​HeartCare,​ our top priority is to protect the health of our patients and staff. Unfortunately, patients concerned about exposure to COVID-19 may not be reporting cardiac symptoms, or at least disregarding them. This can and has already led to adverse consequences, including cardiac NON-COVID-19 related deaths in our patients in the last two weeks. These cardiac symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness, syncope (passing out), leg swelling, weight gain, and orthopnea (shortness of breath while lying down). It is important to remember that although we are in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, cardiovascular disease is still the number one killer in the United States and does not go away during the pandemic. It remains crucial to report these symptoms (if you are experiencing them) to the team at HeartCare. We can then help you decide on your next steps: telemedicine visit, office visit, ER evaluation, etc.

HeartCare​ remains open, and we are prepared to see patients throughout this crisis, but we are offering telemedicine visits (Audio/Video), which allows you to talk with a provider from the comfort and safety of your home. Not every visit is appropriate for telemedicine. We can assist you in determining if you should come into the office.

If you are displaying signs of COVID-19 infection, such as a sore throat, fever >100.4, cough, diarrhea, or vomiting, we ask that you reschedule your appointment for the future.

If you come into the office, we ask that you do not bring any visitors to your appointment unless medically necessary. In addition, the CDC is recommending wearing face coverings to help slow the spread.

We are actively monitoring for symptoms in patients and staff. We are watching and responding to recommendations made by the CDC and our local regulatory and health authorities.

Please call us at (941) 907-8951 with any questions or concerns. Always call 911 in an emergency!

Patient Resources: 

COVID-19 Call Center 1-866-779-6121/ COVID-19@flhealth.gov

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: CDC.gov

Manatee County Health Department: 941-748-0747(24 Hours/Day)

Prevention:

Cover coughs and sneezes.

Wash your hands for 20 seconds.

Practice social distancing.

Keep up healthy habits, eat healthy, exercise, get enough sleep, and manage stress.