Summary
An important element of building and maintaining a successful cardiothoracic surgery practice is the relationship with referring physicians such as cardiologists and primary care physicians. V. Seenu Reddy, MD, MBA, of TriStar Cardiovascular Surgery in Nashville, moderates a panel discussion about the elements of forming good relationships, breaking through the anonymity resulting from electronic health records, creating a patient-centered experience, how to communicate bad news, and building a solid reputation. Joining him are cardiologist Patrick T. O’Gara, MD, from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Tom C. Nguyen, MD, from The University of Texas Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery in Houston, and Craig J. Baker, MD, from Keck Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.