"The most gratifying part of my job is to see firsthand the immediate impact you have on a patient’s life."
As an interventional cardiologist, Gurpal Singh, MD, can have an immediate impact on a patient's life through treatment.
Interventional cardiology involves using catheter-based procedures to treat heart and blood vessel diseases. They are less invasive procedures that can save lives.
"The most gratifying part of my job is to see firsthand the immediate impact you have on a patient’s life when they are dying from a heart attack or have an immediate impact on their life and see it firsthand," says Dr. Singh, an interventional cardiologist at UPMC in Central Pa.
In addition to saving lives, catheter-based procedures often provide a shorter recovery time than open heart surgery. Catheter procedures also offer an option for patients who may not be candidates for traditional surgery.
UPMC has brought a wide range of less invasive procedures to central Pennsylvania. This allows patients to receive the expert, lifesaving care they need without traveling far from home. As part of the UPMC network, patients in central Pennsylvania have access to the latest technology and groundbreaking clinical trials.
The ability to get care close to home is valuable, Dr. Singh says.
"I’m really proud of the work we do," he says. "The ability to provide the patients with cutting-edge technology ... and to be able to provide them this in their hometown is really satisfying. It makes me really proud that we are able to provide those services in communities like Hanover."
Although part of Dr. Singh's job is treating patients' heart disease, he also puts a major focus on prevention.
He discusses risk factors with each patient, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. He also talks to them about potential preventive tests like calcium scoring.
"Prevention is better than cure," Dr. Singh says. "Being able to discuss with patients the lifestyle modifications and medical therapies (available), that's where the prevention comes."
Each patient is different, so he treats each patient on an individual basis.
"The heart care we provide at UPMC is patient-centered," he says. "The patient is at the forefront. We provide them with all the knowledge, skills, and technology that's out there and provide them with the best care we can."
The focus on both prevention and treatment is part of UPMC's comprehensive approach to heart care. UPMC also has a dedicated team that includes cardiologists, surgeons, nurses, and many others.
"It's a team approach," Dr. Singh says. "It's all about communication. We communicate with the primary care physicians and the other specialists involved in the care to come up with the plan for the patient."
Comprehensive care is important. But so is compassionate care, Dr. Singh says. He says that every member of the team treats patients with the utmost compassion. And he takes pride in being able to help patients in their most vulnerable moments.
"When patients are going through and especially having a heart attack, they are very scared and they're very anxious," Dr. Singh says. "To be able to provide compassionate care and answer their questions, calm them, and be there for them, it's one of the things we really concentrate on."
At UPMC, Life Changing Medicine means delivering comprehensive care in a compassionate way.
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