Emergency Services

Virtually all of our local hospitals operate an emergency department that will remain open 24 hours. If you require emergency care, you should proceed directly to your nearest hospital emergency department.

If you believe that you, or someone close to you requires emergency care: dial 911 from your telephone, and request to have an ambulance sent directly to your location for transport to your nearest hospital emergency department. You should then, dial our main office number (941) 313-3393, and inform our office staff (or answering service if after routine office hours) of your situation. Give all necessary information to the telephone operator, including the complete name of the patient, the address from where the individual is being transported, your telephone number, the telephone number at your current location, and any other contact information that you may have (including additional cellular telephone number[s] where a responsible individual can be reached). Provide the office staff (or answering service) with the expected hospital destination, and the mode of transit, and request to have Dr. Stafford Smith or another covering “on-call” physician/healthcare provider promptly alerted. A Suncoast Heart Institute, PLLC care provider can be contacted directly by emergency department personnel to review your case, and we will often be able to provide additional clinical information to the emergency department physician regarding your condition and current treatment, which may be helpful with your hospital care. We can easily and promptly fax your records directly to the hospital’s emergency department physician for his/her review.

A patient of the Suncoast Heart Institute PLLC may request to be transferred from a local hospital to a tertiary care hospital of the patient’s choice, (depending upon the nature and severity of the patient’s condition, and depending upon the capacity of one of these hospitals to provide the needed advanced care, which may not available locally); provided that the patient’s health insurance policy will provide coverage for the services requested, and agree to cover the cost of transportation between the hospital facilities. Arrangements to receive care by a physician at a hospital outside of our local area for a patient whose health insurance which deems these hospitals to be “out-of-network” (or for otherwise uninsured patients) will be undertaken only after approval (for financial arrangements) by the designated receiving hospital or other facility. The patient and/or his/her designee will usually bear the financial responsibility for the transportation cost(s) under these circumstances to and from the selected tertiary care hospital.

Cardiac Symptoms:

Chest discomfort, breathlessness (shortness-of-breath), dizziness, and a loss of consciousness are symptoms that may indicate an unstable cardiac situation (including heart attack or cardiac arrest). A patient who appears diaphoretic (pale, sweaty, “cool and clammy”) may also be experiencing cardiac compromise. Palpitations (a sense of your heart beating irregularly or abnormally) are often described by an individual as a “fluttering, pounding, or a racing sensation”, or perhaps as “skipped beats”. Palpitations may suggest the presence of a cardiac rhythm disturbance. Weakness, numbness, visual or hearing disturbances, or difficulty with speech may indicate an impending stroke. Any or all of these symptoms should be promptly evaluated at your closest hospital’s emergency department; especially when these symptoms have occurred suddenly or unexpectedly, are occurring more frequently, are lasting for longer than usual, or seem to be worsening in severity. Angina pectoris or “angina” is a sense of chest discomfort due to a reduction in the blood supply to the heart’s muscle through the coronary arteries. This is usually due to the presence of an atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary artery, capable of causing enough lumen obstruction to reduce the needed coronary blood flow. Patients who have a history of known coronary artery disease and/or “angina”, who have been provided with a prescription for “quick-acting” nitroglycerin tables or spray, and are experiencing worsening chest discomfort should promptly use their nitroglycerin (as directed by their prescribing physician). If the anginal chest discomfort does not resolve completely within five minutes (along with rest), the patient should dial “911” immediately, or have someone nearby assist with dialing “911”; and request emergency assistance, as this situation may indicate an impending heart attack.

Have someone who is familiar with your medical history accompany you to your closest hospital’s emergency department, or if necessary, arrange to have them meet you there. If possible, bring a list of your medications and any medical records that you have available to the emergency department (or have your companion bring them for you). It is always a good idea to keep an updated list of your medications in your wallet or purse, in case of an emergency medical situation. Please inform the emergency medical attendant or clerk when you arrive, that you have a cardiac condition, and that you are under the care of Dr. Stafford Smith and the Suncoast Heart Institute, PLLC. Be certain to inform all of the emergency department personnel (admitting clerk, nurses, and emergency physicians) that Dr. Stafford Smith is your cardiologist, and request to have him alerted that you have arrived. You are also welcome to call our office directly (941) 313-3393 for this purpose. It will be most optimal for the emergency department physician to call Dr. Smith or another designated Suncoast Heart Institute, PLLC care provider directly, once a provisional diagnosis has been established, to discuss your case in detail. Be prepared to sign appropriate hospital consent forms for your treatment upon your arrival, and do your best to cooperate with the skilled emergency treatment team, while they complete their initial evaluation.