Managing Disease

• The Heart Failure Center

• Coumadin (anticoagulation) Clinic

• Device Clinic, Pacemaker & Defibrillator Clinic, Pacer/ICD Clinic

• The Heart Failure Center at Berks Cardiologists, LTD. ("HFC")

Our HFC is a specialized clinic overseen by Dr. Mayank R. Modi.

At the HFC, each patient is provided with a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach for state of the art heart failure treatments. These treatments include recommended medication therapy, device therapy, referral to heart transplant centers, and enrollment in clinical trials when appropriate. The patient is empowered to manage their own disease state through extensive patient education. A direct phone line is available for the patients to have easy access to the nurse practitioner to report symptoms or change in status, thus enabling prompt response and change in therapy if needed. The goal of the clinic is to provide the patient with improved quality of life, ability to remain active in their normal daily activities, and reduce hospitalizations due to heart failure.

Donna Fiorini is a master’s prepared advanced nurse practitioner. She has over 20 years of critical care nursing experience. She has been a CHF nurse practitioner at Berks Cardiologists, LTD. since 2000. She attends multiple heart failure symposiums yearly in order to continue providing the patients with quality, state-of-the-art, evidence-based care.

• Coumadin (anticoagulation) Clinic at Berks Cardiologists, LTD.

Our Coumadin Clinic is a specialized area of service provided to our patients who take anticoagulants or "blood thinning " medication. The patients are provided with immediate results of their blood testing which is done by a fingerstick method, avoiding a venopuncture (blood drawing). This determines how long it takes for a clot to begin to form. The regulation of the patient's medication dose is completed at the time of their visit by the Coumadin Clinic nurses and physician staff. The patient is provided with written directions for the continuation of their anticoagulant and education on how foods and other drugs may effect their results.

The Coumadin Clinic is overseen by Dr. Frank Politzer and is managed by registered nurse, Joyce Koppenberg, RN, who has 20 years' experience in cardiovascular nursing and 5 years specializing in anticoagulation management. The lab is accredited by the College of American Pathologists, a medical society serving nearly 16,000 physician members and labs throughout the world.

• Device Clinic, Pacemaker & Defibrillator Clinic, Pacer/ICD Clinic           at Berks Cardiologists, LTD.

Our Device Clinic is a specialized area of service following all patients with an implantable device such as a implantable loop recorder, permanent pacemaker , Internal Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) and Biventricular devices for Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT).

The Device Clinic patients are followed routinely in our office through the Clinic, but many are also followed remotely trans-telephonically or through a WEB-based follow up system to avoid frequent office visits allowing patients to go along their daily lives with minimal interruption. The Device Clinic is closely linked with the Heart Failure Clinic and Research Dept. in order to bring state-of-the-art and cutting edge technology to our patients. A Quarterly ICD support group meeting is held for our patients to share their experiences and learn from industry experts

The Device Clinic is managed by Clinical Director Peggy A. Reed, RN, a registered nurse with more than 25 years experience in cardiovascular nursing, pacing and defibrillation and is Testamur NASPExAM/AP. She, along with dedicated nurses and technicians, follows patients under the direction of the following doctors:

Dr. Louis Borgatta, Dr. Meir Mazuz, and Dr. Christopher B. Rogers.