Eduardo Hernandez, MD, a cardiologist at the Texas Heart Institute, emphasizes the importance of raising awareness and educating patients during American Heart Month through social media, newsletters, in-office materials, and community outreach. He also encourages physicians to engage patients with educational resources, screenings, and small lifestyle changes, leveraging tools like the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential Eight to promote cardiovascular health.

Transcript:

My name is Eduardo Hernandez. I am a cardiologist practicing in Houston. I am president of the Texas Heart Institute Center for Cardiovascular Care. I’m also president of CardioVascular Care Providers, which is a value-based network working in the city of Houston and surrounding cities. I have been in practice for over 20 years. I practice both preventive care and I’m also an interventional cardiologist.

With February being American Heart Month, I’d like to conclude our discussion with some practical steps that clinicians can take to raise awareness and drive meaningful action with their patients to improve heart health and reduce cardiovascular risk. The first would be to raise awareness through your practice’s social media newsletter and in-office materials. Our office at the Texas Heart Institute Center for Cardiovascular Care uses our waiting area monitors to play educational videos, and our website, Texasheart.org, has a wealth of information on disease states and healthy lifestyles, which I encourage you to visit.

It’s important to educate and engage patients on heart health. For example, I’m a guest speaker at a corporate heart health awareness program. Providing print and digital materials on heart disease prevention is very helpful. You can visit the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential Eight, which provides data on diet, exercise, sleep, and smoking cessation. You can host a heart health Q&A session via Zoom or in-person clinics, workplaces, or community centers. And in your office, you can offer discounted screenings for key risk factors.

Finally, promote small and incremental lifestyle interventions and behavioral changes to your patients to promote general and cardiovascular health.