Patience is overrated

I called both Dr. Natale's office and Dr. Santangeli's the first week of November to schedule my first appointment in the hopes of getting an ablation. I was told Dr. Natale was scheduled into January, which I said would be fine. I asked my local cardiologist for a referral at that time, as well as a records transfer. I have not heard from either office since.

People on here commented along the lines of "just be patient, they will call you once your name bubbles to the top of the list". But I decided it was time to check in again. After all, I have no way of knowing if they received my records. So I called the number from a thread on this website which is supposed to be a direct line to Norma, Natale's scheduler. It did not seem like a direct line to Norma, as I had to listen to several options. I was quickly routed to a human, however, who said she would transfer me to Nicole, as Nicole is in charge of the Scheduling.

Nicole answered promptly as well, and was helpful. While she had my address, she did not have my phone numbers. Odd. She also said she never received the referral. So if I had continued to be patient and wait for my phone call, it never would have come. Meanwhile, I have been in 100% Afib since July.

The good news is I have a telehealth appointment for late February.

With almost all doctors and hospitals using electronic health records these days, you don't need to have your cardiologist send records. Usually, all you have to do is sign a release form and Natale's staff will then download it directly. Your cardiologist doesn't need to do anything, and that's probably why they didn't.

All I know is what Dr. Natale's office tells me. They did not say they would handle the request. They told me to ask my local provider to send a referral, as well as my medical records. I understand those as two different things. I asked my local provider to please send both of those items back in November.

As I waited for my return call from Natale's office, I grew concerned as to whether this had been taken care of. I called local medical records, and they confirmed they sent my records to his office a few days after I asked. Even if I take them at their word, I don't know if they were received at the right place. I did not double check on the referral being sent. Now Natale's office tells me they have no referral. Today I sent another referral request.

So the question is where to draw the line between being patient, and advocating for myself without being a pest. (And I had also talked to Dr. Lakkireddy's office, about possibly seeing him. My idea was I would go with whoever got back to me first. But Dr. L's voicemail message specifically stated "do not call back again once you have left a message as it delays our response time overall". Dr. L's office did give me an appointment on the initial phone call, but it has to be in person. I did receive one phone call back from his office, but they had to leave a message for me. The only number they provided for me to call back was their general number, and I could not get through the phone maze to find the person who called me. I left a voicemail, but my call was never returned again. Since the call was never returned I elected to cancel that appointment. I would have traveled to Kansas if not for the broken communication.)

The bottom line here is my care journey was dead in the water. By not calling back sooner, I lost another month. If I had not called back at all, I would be waiting for a call that would never come. That is very bad when I had followed the directions the doctor's offices had given me. So I am sharing all this for those in a similar situation.

Ask Dr Natalie’s scheduler to be put on a waitlist. Explain your afib length since last year.

Cancellations do happen. I was able to get a watchman appointment a couple of days before the procedure, with little notice.

I referred myself. Dr here was never involved in any way. I completed my patient history paperwork, downloadable file plus a few downloads from my patient portal of recent tests and an office visit summary or two. Natale was on a 2-3 week extended summer holiday and upon return reviewed upcoming “one day out of town” patients And I was accepted. They called that same day and I could have had my appt only 2 days later!!! I wasn’t mentally prepared for that fast. Best next option 2 weeks later and I wasn’t ready for that fast either. I was in mild to medium shock at the speed everything was happening!!! Finally settled on 6 weeks later.

Medical records system at my local provider was not compatible with TCA system. Got it done but I had to pretty much follow up and push when and where needed to accomplish which was pretty much my local people that needed pushing aka Records Dept.

Norma was great and very patient with receiving all needed records and Nicole is wonderful too. Considering the travel one day procedure +3 nights patient challenges that must be done and coordinated. Then once you actually arrive until you leave was quite the positive experience from start to finish. Even though I was especially anxious that first go round, I couldn’t have known how smooth it would all be until I experienced it first hand. You hear it or read it here or elsewhere but until you’ve experienced it, you just don’t truly know, it was quite the positive and best decision I could have made.

I always maintain custody my own records, not just for efficacy, but for accuracy. It's unbelievable how much misinformation I found on the MyChart/Epic system. Then, once I collect the records from the source, I organize them with my own summary notes and email them directly to someone at the EPs office. It's usually the office manager, who is happy to give out their email address, once I explain that all records will be coming directly from me. I also carry with me the same records in hard copy to the appointment, unless virtual. This not only expedites the process but filters out a lot of "noise" so that the EP can more efficiently study my case. It also puts me directly in the loop, so I know who got what and when. The concept of electronic records is terrific in theory, but not yet there in practice, by a long shot.

Amusing story, but not at the time. Had a video consult with an out-of-town EP whom I had been waiting for several months. As usual, I emailed my records, but this time I waited until the last minute, and it became obvious that he didn't get them in time.

So the consult begins, and as I start to explain the reason for my visit, the EP interrupts and tells me that I don't have Afib, and by the tone of his voice was about to end the call! I try to explain/plead that I have a 40-year history of Afib, but he is unmoved, because, as all doctors know, patients know nothing, they "lie" all the time, and only the records tell the truth.

So apparently, while talking to me, he is downloading my medical records and is looking at the wrong EKGs showing a different arrhythmia! I'm practically begging him at this point to check his email with numerous EKGs of AF, when all of a sudden he says, "Oh wait, I see it, you do have Afib".

That experience made me almost opt out of the electronic records system entirely, which I would have, except that it is easier said than done. But what I did do was make sure never to email my records on the day. before an appointment.

Jim



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/14/2026 01:37AM by mjamesone.