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Referring Physicians

Your Patients Deserve
Answers This Week.

When you refer to Apex Heart & Imaging, a fellowship-trained imaging cardiologist reads your patient's scan — personally, the same day. We commit to 5-day access, 24-hour reports, and complete prior authorization handling. You fax the referral. We take it from there.

5-Day Access Guarantee
Every referral seen within 5 business days — guaranteed, every time.
24-Hour Structured Reports
CAD-RADS 2.0 reports faxed to your office within 24 hours of the visit.
We Handle Prior Authorization
For CCTA — fax the referral. Our team obtains the PA and calls your patient within 24 hours.
Referral Fax — No Form Required
(614) 363-8561
Include: patient name, DOB, insurance, clinical indication, your callback number. We contact your patient within 24 hours.
Dr. Muhannad Akel
MD, FACC · Medical Director, Apex Heart & Imaging
Board-Certified Cardiologist
Multi-Advanced Cardiac Imaging Specialist
Fellow, American College of Cardiology (FACC)
Advanced cardiac imaging training in echocardiography, nuclear medicine, cardiac CT and MRI
Personally reads every study
How to Refer

Three Steps. That's It.

We designed our referral process to be as easy as possible for your office. No special forms. No complex workflows.

01
Fax the Referral
Send patient name, DOB, insurance, clinical indication, and your callback number to (614) 363-8561. A standard clinical note or referral letter works fine.
02
We Handle Everything
Our team contacts your patient within 24 hours to schedule. We verify insurance and obtain prior authorization for CCTA — no action required from your office.
03
Results Back to You
Structured CAD-RADS 2.0 report faxed to your office within 24 hours of the visit. Urgent findings: Dr. Akel calls you directly, same day.
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5-Day Guarantee
Every patient referred to Apex Heart & Imaging is seen within 5 business days. This is our commitment to every referring physician — no exceptions.
Indications

When to Refer to Apex

We accept referrals for the following indications. If you're unsure whether a patient is appropriate, call us — Dr. Akel is available for a brief clinical discussion.

Stable Chest Pain
CCTA for non-invasive coronary evaluation. ACC Class 1A — guideline first-line for stable chest pain.
Abnormal / Inconclusive Stress Test
CCTA as next step for equivocal or mildly abnormal stress results.
Cardiovascular Risk Stratification
Coronary calcium scoring for intermediate-risk patients. Guides statin and aspirin decisions.
New-Onset Dyspnea
Echocardiogram and cardiology consultation for unexplained shortness of breath.
Palpitations / Arrhythmia
EKG, evaluation, and cardiology management. Echo if structural cause suspected.
Hypertension Management
Specialist cardiology follow-up for poorly controlled or complex hypertension.
Pre-Operative Clearance
Bariatric, orthopedic, general surgery. 72-hour turnaround guaranteed.
Family History of Premature CAD
Calcium scoring and risk counseling for patients with first-degree relatives with early heart disease.
Diabetes — Annual Cardiac
Annual cardiovascular risk assessment per ADA guidelines. CAC scoring and consultation.
High Cholesterol — Risk Stratification
CAC scoring to guide treatment decisions when risk is intermediate or uncertain.
New-Onset Heart Failure
Echocardiogram and cardiology workup. Coronary evaluation if ischemic etiology suspected.
Preventive Screening — Patient Request
Cash-pay calcium scoring ($199) and executive screening packages. No referral required — patient can book directly.
Insurance

Insurance We Accept

We are in-network with Medicare and the major commercial payers in central Ohio. We also accept cash-pay and provide superbills for out-of-network patients.

Medicare Part B
Anthem BCBS Ohio
Medical Mutual of Ohio
UnitedHealthcare
Cigna
Cash-Pay Welcome
HSA / FSA Accepted
Adding more — ask us
Prior Authorization — We Handle It
For CCTA (CPT 75574), we manage the entire prior authorization process in-house. Your office does not need to submit a PA request. Just fax the referral with the clinical indication and we take it from there.
Fax a Referral
No special form required — include these basics
Patient full name and date of birth
Insurance name and member ID
Clinical indication (reason for referral)
Requested service (CCTA, CAC, echo, consult, pre-op)
Patient phone number
Your name, practice name, and callback fax
Mark URGENT for pre-op clearance
Download Referral Form (PDF)
— or fax directly to —
(614) 363-8561
We contact your patient within 24 hours of receiving the referral
Questions

Frequently Asked by Referring Physicians

Who reads the CT scans — a cardiologist or a radiologist?
Dr. Akel reads every cardiac CT personally — he is a board-certified cardiologist with SCCT Level III certification in cardiac CT. Your patients' scans are never read by a general radiologist or a fellow.
How quickly will my patient be seen?
Every referral is seen within 5 business days — this is a guarantee, not a goal. For pre-operative clearance, we offer a 72-hour turnaround. For urgent cases, call us directly.
Do I need to submit a prior authorization for CCTA?
No. For CCTA, we handle the entire prior authorization process in-house. Just fax the referral with the clinical indication. Our billing team submits the PA and contacts your patient once it's approved.
How will I receive the results?
A structured CAD-RADS 2.0 report is faxed to your office within 24 hours of the visit. For urgent or critical findings, Dr. Akel calls you directly the same day.
What reporting format do you use for CCTA?
CAD-RADS 2.0 structured reporting, the current standard of care endorsed by the ACC/AHA and SCCT. Reports include coronary stenosis grading, plaque characterization, and specific management recommendations.
Can patients self-refer for calcium scoring?
Yes. Calcium scoring is available as a direct cash-pay service at $199 — no referral required. Patients can book directly via our website or by calling us. Results are shared with the patient and can be forwarded to you with patient consent.
Do you offer cardiac MRI reads for outside facilities?
Yes. Dr. Akel provides remote CMR interpretation services for hospitals and imaging centers. Contact us to discuss a read arrangement for your facility.
Can I call Dr. Akel directly with a clinical question?
Yes. Dr. Akel welcomes brief clinical calls from referring physicians. Call our main number and ask to speak with Dr. Akel about a patient — we will get him on the line or return your call the same day.

Ready to Refer Your First Patient?

Fax to (614) 363-8561. No form required. We contact your patient within 24 hours.

Download Referral Form