Treating Atrial Fibrillation

We understand that the impact of heart disease is greater in marginalized communities. Genetics plays a part, but unequal access to great health care is also a factor. At Providence, we value, respect and support the racial, ethnic, religious, gender, sexual and spiritual identities of all our patients. We are deeply committed to making sure everyone in our diverse communities has equal access to the best heart care. To do this, we offer location-specific services that help meet our patients’ needs. This includes translation for non-English-speaking patients, telehealth and transportation assistance. And we never turn a patient away, regardless of their ability to pay. Instead, we work harder to make sure every patient is treated equally and with dignity – whoever you are, and wherever you’re at.

As a patient at Providence, you belong to one of the largest community-based networks for heart care in the United States. This means your local heart care team shares knowledge and experience with other cardiac specialists across 51 hospitals in seven states. If specialty care is needed, your heart care team can easily reach the physicians with the most expertise. Take the story of our atrial fibrillation patient Jim Halff. When his heart medications sapped his energy, he looked to the Providence network to find a national leader in cardiac electrophysiology to perform an ablation procedure using state-of-the-art 3D mapping. This helped block electrical signals that were creating an irregular heartbeat, and Mr. Halff is now back to feeling like himself again. The power of our network is one of the reasons more than 125,000 atrial fibrillation patients, and more than 400,000 heart patients, choose Providence each year.

Providence is well known for offering options – and hope – to patients seeking the most advanced therapies to treat atrial fibrillation and all types of arrhythmia. The Providence network was the first on the West Coast to offer our atrial fibrillation patients the Convergent Procedure. In it, a cardiothoracic surgeon and an electrophysiologist work at the same time to perform a minimally invasive surgery and catheter ablation (small burns or freezes). This groundbreaking procedure significantly reduces the risk and recovery time for the patient.

We participate in national and international data registries that track cardiovascular outcomes. This helps us learn more to continually improve our care for you. Our doctors and scientists also support groundbreaking research projects and treatments. Our leadership helps us provide better heart care – and a better life – for you and your loved ones.