theheartcenter.md

A cardiac anesthesiologist is a physician anesthesiologist with additional fellowship training in the anesthesia and physiological management of heart and vascular surgery. You encounter one if you are scheduled for procedures such as coronary artery bypass grafting, heart valve repair or replacement, aortic surgery, or certain structural heart and vascular interventions. Their job is distinct from your cardiologist (who diagnoses and manages heart disease) and your cardiothoracic surgeon (who performs the operation): the cardiac anesthesiologist keeps you unconscious, pain-free, and physiologically stable while the surgeon operates.

The three roles, side by side

A useful way to think about it: the surgeon repairs the structure, the cardiologist manages the disease over time, and the cardiac anesthesiologist manages you — breathing, blood pressure, rhythm, and comfort — while the repair happens.

What happens before surgery

Before a heart operation, the cardiac anesthesiologist typically performs a pre-operative anesthesia evaluation. This generally includes:

• Reviewing your history, medications, allergies, and prior anesthesia experiences
• Assessing your airway, heart function, lung function, and other organ systems
• Reviewing test results such as echocardiography, cardiac catheterization, and blood work
• Identifying risk factors and discussing the anesthesia plan with you and the surgical team

This is also your opportunity to ask questions about how you will be kept comfortable and what to expect when you wake up.

During the operation

Intra-operative duties center on continuous monitoring and adjustment. In a typical cardiac case, the anesthesiologist:

• Places and interprets invasive monitors, such as arterial lines and central venous catheters
• Manages the airway and mechanical ventilation
• Continuously tracks blood pressure, heart rhythm, oxygenation, and other vital parameters
• Adjusts anesthetic drugs and supports circulation, including during cardiopulmonary bypass, when the heart and lungs are temporarily supported by a machine
• Coordinates with the surgeon and perfusion team as the procedure progresses

The specifics vary by procedure and by patient, which is why the pre-operative evaluation matters.

After surgery

Post-operative care often continues in the cardiac intensive care unit, where the cardiac anesthesiologist or the ICU team manages:

• Pain control
• Safe emergence from anesthesia and, where needed, ventilator weaning
• Blood pressure, rhythm, and fluid balance in the immediate recovery period

Training and how to confirm credentials

Cardiac anesthesiologists complete medical school, an anesthesiology residency, and then additional fellowship training focused on cardiac and thoracic anesthesia. If you want to confirm a provider's credentials, you can:

• Ask the hospital or practice directly about the anesthesiologist's fellowship training
• Check state medical board records for licensure
• Look for board certification information through the relevant anesthesiology board

At a center like Huntsville Hospital's Heart Center, which lists cardiac anesthesiologists among its provider types alongside board-certified cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons, you can ask your surgical team who will provide your anesthesia and what their cardiac-specific training is.

Questions worth asking your care team

• Who will be my cardiac anesthesiologist, and what is their cardiac fellowship training?
• What monitors and lines should I expect before surgery?
• How will my pain be managed afterward, and when will I likely wake up?
• Who will manage my care in the cardiac ICU?

Huntsville, Alabama has a full-service heart program through Huntsville Hospital's Heart Center and Heart Institute, based at 930 Franklin Street. It covers prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart and vascular disease — from office visits and screenings to catheterization, open surgery, and cardiac rehab. If you need a cardiologist, a second opinion, or a specific procedure, the practical first step is to call (256) 533-3388 or use the Patient Portal. The sections below explain what is offered, where, and how to get in.

What the Heart Center offers

The service list below comes from the Heart Center's own site, so you can match your situation to a service before you call.

The clinical team includes board-certified cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, and cardiac anesthesiologists. If you are unsure which service fits your symptoms, say so when you call — the staff route patients to the right clinic.

Where the Heart Center is located

The Heart Center serves Huntsville and the surrounding region. Listed locations:

• Huntsville (main site) — 930 Franklin Street, Huntsville, AL 35801
• Athens
• Boaz
• Decatur
• Fort Payne
• Lincoln
• Madison
• Sheffield

One practical note from the site: the Athens office has had phone service issues. If you cannot reach Athens by phone, call the Huntsville office at (256) 533-3388 and a message will be sent to the Athens team. You can also reach Athens through the Patient Portal.

When to seek specialized heart care

The Heart Center's scope points to the kinds of problems that warrant a referral or a call rather than watchful waiting:

• Chest pain, shortness of breath, or palpitations
• A known heart rhythm problem or a fainting episode
• Heart failure symptoms such as swelling, fatigue, or reduced exercise tolerance
• A heart valve or structural heart issue found on imaging
• Vascular symptoms — leg pain with walking, swelling, or circulation concerns
• A need for cardiac surgery or a surgical second opinion
• Recovery and supervised exercise after a heart attack, stent, or surgery
• A child with a suspected or known heart condition

If your situation is an emergency, call 911 rather than booking an appointment.

How to get started

1. Call (256) 533-3388 (Huntsville) or contact your nearest listed location. If Athens doesn't answer, use the Huntsville number.
2. Check whether you need a referral. Some visits and testing require a physician order. The site has a dedicated "Refer a Patient" path and a "Testing Orders (Huntsville)" path, which suggests orders are handled separately from general appointments.
3. Confirm coverage before the visit. Billing and Insurance, Financial Assistance, and Price Transparency pages are all published on the site — use them to check what your plan covers and what financial help may be available.
4. Gather your records. Bring prior test results, imaging, medication lists, and any outside records so the first visit isn't spent reconstructing history.
5. Set up the Patient Portal. It is the site's tool for managing care, and it is also the fallback contact route for the Athens office.
6. Ask about telehealth if travel is difficult — it is listed as a service, though not every visit type will qualify.

Practical details worth knowing

• Health system: The Heart Center is part of the Huntsville Hospital Health System.
• Language assistance: The site lists interpretation support in Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Arabic, German, French, Gujarati, Tagalog, Hindi, Lao, Russian, Portuguese, Turkish, and Japanese.
• Patient resources published: Billing and Insurance, FAQs, Financial Assistance, Patient Portal, Patient Privacy, Patient Rights & Responsibilities, Price Transparency, and Telehealth Instructions.
• Contact: 930 Franklin Street, Huntsville, AL 35801 | (256) 533-3388.

If your goal is simply to establish a cardiologist in Huntsville, start with the phone call and the Patient Portal; if your goal is a specific procedure, name the service from the table above when you call so you are scheduled with the right team.

A cardiothoracic surgeon is a physician who performs operations on the heart, lungs, esophagus, and other structures inside the chest. You would typically see one when a heart or lung problem can't be managed with medication or minimally invasive procedures alone — for example, blocked coronary arteries, a damaged heart valve, or a lung mass that needs removal. Cardiothoracic surgeons usually work alongside cardiologists, who diagnose and manage heart conditions non-surgically, and the two often coordinate on the same patient. At a hospital-based program such as Huntsville Hospital's Heart Center, cardiothoracic surgery is one of several cardiovascular services offered alongside cardiology, electrophysiology, and vascular care.

What cardiothoracic surgeons treat

The specialty covers the chest cavity, so the conditions fall into a few broad groups:

• Coronary artery disease — narrowed or blocked arteries that may require coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
• Heart valve disease — narrowed or leaking valves that may need repair or replacement.
• Structural heart problems — defects or abnormalities in the heart's structure.
• Heart rhythm issues — some cases are managed surgically when other treatments aren't enough.
• Lung and chest conditions — including lung masses, and other diseases of the lungs, esophagus, and chest wall.

Because the field spans both the heart and the chest more broadly, you'll sometimes see it split into "cardiac surgery" (heart) and "thoracic surgery" (lungs and chest), with many surgeons trained in both.

Cardiothoracic surgeon vs. cardiologist

These roles are easy to confuse because both deal with the heart, but they do different jobs.

In practice, they work as a team. A cardiologist might identify a blockage, and a cardiothoracic surgeon would then evaluate whether surgery is the right option. A hospital program that offers both — like the Heart Center, which lists cardiothoracic surgery, coronary interventional services, and structural heart services — is set up for that kind of handoff.

Common procedures

• Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) — rerouting blood around blocked arteries, often using a healthy vessel from elsewhere in the body.
• Valve repair or replacement — fixing or swapping a valve that isn't opening or closing properly.
• Structural heart procedures — addressing defects in the heart's structure.
• Lung surgery — removing part or all of a lung, or treating other chest conditions.

The specific procedure depends on your diagnosis, overall health, and what your care team recommends. Not every heart problem needs surgery; many are managed with medication or catheter-based approaches first.

Training and board certification

Cardiothoracic surgeons complete a long training path: medical school, a general surgery residency, and then additional specialized training in cardiothoracic surgery. After training, many pursue board certification, which means they've met the standards of a recognized certifying body in their specialty.

Board certification is one useful signal when evaluating a surgeon, but it isn't the only one. You can also ask about their experience with your specific condition, how many similar procedures they perform, and which hospital they operate at.

How to find a cardiothoracic surgeon

1. Start with a referral. Your primary care doctor or cardiologist is usually the one who refers you to a surgeon. If you already have a heart or lung diagnosis, ask your specialist directly.
2. Look at hospital-based programs. Larger heart programs list their surgical services and physicians. The Heart Center, part of the Huntsville Hospital Health System, lists cardiothoracic surgery among its services and publishes an "Our Physicians" directory.
3. Check the surgeon's credentials. Confirm board certification and ask about their focus within the specialty.
4. Confirm logistics. Note which location the surgeon practices at — the Heart Center has locations in Huntsville, Athens, Boaz, Decatur, Fort Payne, Lincoln, Madison, and Sheffield — and how to reach them. Its main Huntsville number is (256) 533-3388.
5. Ask about coverage and cost. Billing and insurance information is available through the Heart Center's Billing and Insurance page, and financial assistance is listed for patients who need it.

Practical things to keep in mind

• A referral is often the entry point. You generally don't book a cardiothoracic surgeon directly the way you might book a routine appointment; the path usually runs through another physician.
• Surgery isn't always the answer. Many conditions are treated with medication or less invasive procedures first, so a surgical consult doesn't automatically mean an operation.
• Ask about the whole team. Complex heart care involves cardiologists, cardiac anesthesiologists, and others. A program that coordinates these specialties can make the process smoother.
• Verify before you commit. Board certification, procedure volume, and hospital affiliation are all reasonable questions to raise during a consultation.

Huntsville Hospital's Heart Center is a cardiology and vascular practice in Huntsville, Alabama, and part of the Huntsville Hospital Health System. It provides preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services for heart and blood vessel conditions, delivered by board-certified cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, and cardiac anesthesiologists. If you are looking for a cardiology practice in the Huntsville region — or need to know how to become a patient, where the offices are, or how to reach them — the details below cover what the practice offers and how to access it.

Services Offered

The Heart Center organizes its care into clinical service lines spanning general cardiology through surgery and subspecialty programs:

• Cardiovascular Services — general heart care
• Cardiac Catheterization & Intervention Services — catheter-based diagnosis and treatment
• Coronary Interventional Services
• Cardiothoracic Surgery
• Heart Rhythm (Electrophysiology Services) — heart rhythm diagnosis and treatment
• Heart Failure
• Structural Heart Services
• Vascular Services, including Iliac Vein Compression
• Cardiac Rehabilitation
• Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET)
• Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic
• Pediatric Cardiology
• Screenings
• Telehealth

This range means the practice can handle both routine cardiac evaluation and advanced subspecialty care, including surgical and rhythm management, without referring you outside the system for most needs.

Locations

The Heart Center has offices across northern Alabama and southern Tennessee:

The main office is at 930 Franklin Street, Huntsville, AL 35801, and the main phone number is (256) 533-3388.

How to Become a Patient

The site provides a Refer a Patient option and a Testing Orders (Huntsville) pathway, which indicates that patients typically enter the practice through a physician referral or with testing orders from another provider. If you are unsure which route applies to you, calling the main Huntsville number is the most direct way to confirm what your situation requires.

Patient Tools and Administrative Information

The Heart Center offers several resources for managing your care:

• Patient Portal — for online access to your information and communication with the practice
• Billing and Insurance — billing questions and insurance information
• Financial Assistance — support options for patients who need help with costs
• Price Transparency — pricing information
• FAQs — answers to common patient questions
• Telehealth Instructions — guidance for virtual visits
• Patient Privacy, Patient Rights & Responsibilities

If You Can't Reach a Location by Phone

The site notes that the Athens office has experienced phone service issues. If you cannot reach Athens by phone, call the Huntsville office at (256) 533-3388 and a message will be forwarded to the Athens team. You can also contact the Athens office through the Patient Portal.

Language Assistance

Language assistance is available in multiple languages, including Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Arabic, German, French, Gujarati, Tagalog, Hindi, Lao, Russian, Portuguese, Turkish, and Japanese.

Contact

Heart Center 930 Franklin Street, Huntsville, AL 35801 Phone: (256) 533-3388

For appointments, referrals, or questions about services, start with the main Huntsville number. For billing, insurance, or financial assistance questions, use the corresponding sections of the website or ask when you call.

A board-certified cardiologist has passed the certification exams of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) — first in general internal medicine, then in a cardiology subspecialty such as cardiovascular disease or interventional cardiology. Certification is voluntary, time-limited, and separate from a state medical license. You can verify any cardiologist's current status for free using ABIM's public "Verify a Physician" tool. This matters if you're choosing a cardiologist, checking whether a referral is covered by insurance, or confirming that a physician holds hospital privileges in a specific procedure.

What board certification actually means

In the U.S., a physician needs a state license to practice medicine. Board certification is an additional, voluntary credential earned by passing rigorous exams administered by a member board of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). For cardiologists, that member board is ABIM.

Certification happens in two stages:

1. General internal medicine — the physician completes an accredited internal medicine residency and passes the ABIM Internal Medicine exam.
2. Cardiology subspecialty — the physician completes an accredited cardiology fellowship and passes the exam for that specific subspecialty.

A cardiologist who has only the internal medicine certificate is a board-certified internist, not a board-certified cardiologist. Both stages are required for the cardiology credential.

The main cardiology subspecialties

ABIM certifies cardiologists in several distinct areas. A physician may hold one or more of these:

This is why two cardiologists at the same practice may hold different credentials — one may be certified in cardiovascular disease only, while another adds interventional cardiology or electrophysiology.

What certification requires

To earn and keep ABIM cardiology certification, a physician must:

• Complete an accredited fellowship in the subspecialty
• Pass the ABIM certifying exam for that subspecialty
• Meet ABIM's ongoing requirements, which include maintaining a valid medical license, completing continuing medical education, and participating in knowledge assessments

Certification is time-limited. It is not a one-time achievement that stays valid forever. ABIM requires cardiologists to maintain their certification through its Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program, which includes periodic assessments and practice-related requirements. A physician who was certified years ago but has not kept up with maintenance may no longer hold current certification — even though they still hold a state license and can legally practice.

How to verify a cardiologist's board certification

ABIM provides a free public verification tool called Verify a Physician at abim.org. Here is how to use it:

1. Go to abim.org and find the "Verify a Physician" search.
2. Enter the physician's first and last name. You can narrow results by state.
3. Open the matching profile.
4. Check two things: which credentials are listed (Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease, Interventional Cardiology, etc.) and whether the status is current.
5. If the profile shows a certification but the status is not current, the physician has not completed the required maintenance — treat this as a lapsed credential.

Expected result: You should see the physician's name, the specific ABIM certifications held, and the current status of each. If no profile appears, the physician may not be ABIM-certified, or the name may be spelled differently than in the ABIM records.

Common snags:

• Name variations (middle names, maiden names, suffixes) can cause a search to miss a match. Try alternate spellings.
• A physician certified by a different board (for example, the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine) will not appear in ABIM's tool. Check that board's verification site instead.
• Certification status can change. If you checked months ago, re-check before a procedure.

Why certification matters for coverage and privileges

Two practical consequences:

• Insurance coverage. Many insurers require that a cardiologist be board-certified (or board-eligible) to be considered in-network or to have a procedure covered. If a claim is denied, the certification status is often part of the review.
• Hospital privileges. Hospitals typically require board certification or active pursuit of it for granting and renewing privileges to perform specific procedures, such as catheterization or electrophysiology studies. A cardiologist's ability to perform a procedure at a given hospital is tied to both privileges and certification.

What board certification is not

It helps to separate certification from related credentials that are sometimes confused with it:

• State licensure — required to practice; not the same as certification. A licensed physician may not be board-certified.
• Fellowship training — completing a cardiology fellowship is a prerequisite for certification, but finishing the fellowship does not by itself confer board certification. The exam must be passed.
• Hospital affiliation — being on staff at a hospital does not mean a physician is board-certified in a given subspecialty.
• "Board-eligible" — a physician who has completed training and is eligible to sit for the exam but has not yet passed it. This is a temporary status, not the same as certified.

A quick checklist before you choose

• Confirm the specific subspecialty matches your need (general cardiology vs. interventional vs. electrophysiology).
• Verify current status through ABIM's tool, not just a practice website biography.
• Ask whether the certification is current, not just whether it was ever earned.
• If a procedure is planned, confirm the physician holds hospital privileges for it.
• Check with your insurer that the physician's certification meets network or coverage requirements.

For a system like Huntsville Hospital's Heart Center, which lists board-certified cardiologists among its providers, the same verification steps apply: look up the individual physician's name in ABIM's tool and confirm the subspecialty and current status before scheduling.