Heart Disease Patients Benefit From Innovative Approach to Medical Appointments

MCKINNEY, Texas, April 27, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Dr. Akram Khan is an Interventional Cardiologist who runs a busy cardiology practice in McKinney, Texas, but often he is frustrated by not having enough time to really help patients understand what they need to know about their lifestyle to help their hearts. Frustrated that patients could do so much for themselves if they had the right information, Dr. Khan developed and implemented a new group appointment approach designed to help his patients understand heart healthy nutrition and lifestyle changes that can have a big impact on their heart health.

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"I found a dietitian that was willing to work with me to help my patients understand heart disease and lifestyle modifications. I want my patients to have a good concept of nutrition, and so we came up with the idea for a "group appointment". Patients are encouraged to come and learn about diet modification and an approach to eating that will help them enjoy a longer life by eating right. I also spend individual time with the patients to cover their specific medications and conditions. So far the program has been very well received." said Khan. 

Patients seem to really appreciate the extra time spent on lifestyle and diet changes. "The dietician does an excellent job of putting difficult concepts into understandable formats, and makes is easier to understand." said one group appointment attendee.

Dietician Mary McNeill, MS, RD/LD, CDE, MBA leads the group appointments. 

"In our group appointments, we discuss how to control cholesterol, heart disease risk factors, and lipid profiles. Patients learn how physical activity, what we eat, and stress all contribute to heart health. Many times this sort of information is too complex and time consuming to discuss in a traditional appointment." said McNeill.

The group appointments usually include a small group of 10 patients, and are usually 1-2 hours long. Dr. Khan has had the program running since January and he expects to have even more participation as patients start to understand the value of good nutrition for heart health. 

About the Cardiac Center of Texas and the Vein Clinic of Texas
The Cardiac Center of Texas and the Vein Clinic of Texas were founded by cardiologist, Dr. M. Akram Khan. Located in the Allen/McKinney, TX area, the Cardiac Center of Texas and the Vein Clinic of Texas are focused on the treatment of cardiac and vascular diseases. Dr. Khan is a Board Certified Interventional Cardiologist and Preventive Medicine Medical Director at The Medical Center of Plano.

Media Contact:
Jennifer Nelson
972-529-6939
http://CardiacCenterofTexas.com

Media Contact: Jennifer Nelson of New Tribe Media, 4052011544, [email protected]

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SOURCE Cardiac Center of Texas and the Vein Clinic of Texas