Heart care that can’t be beat: Billings Clinic offers patients expert care in their backyard

The heart wants what it wants. When it comes to cardiac arrhythmias, patients experiencing these disturbances in the heart’s electrical system want the care of a highly experienced physician with access to the most current technology and treatment options. That’s why patients put their trust in the expert team of heart rhythm specialists at Billings Clinic, who work tirelessly to carry on a long tradition of high-level care for patients across Montana.

Billings Clinic has a long history as a provider of electrophysiology (heart rhythm) services, with their electrophysiology program being the first one to exist in Montana when it was established nearly 30 years ago.

“There are a lot of patients out there who experience cardiac arrhythmias that are unaware of the treatment options that have the potential to significantly improve their quality of life,” explains electrophysiologist Dr. Loren Budge, MD, FACC. “The Heart Rhythm program at Billings Clinic offers more comprehensive services and procedures than any other program in the state and region.”

Billings Clinic offers comprehensive treatment for atrial fibrillation and other abnormal heart rhythms, including ablation, advanced cardiac device (pacemaker and defibrillator) implantation and long term care, left atrial appendage closure devices for stroke prevention, as well as services unique to Billings Clinic such as laser lead extraction. This wide spectrum of services and complex procedures undoubtedly cements Billings Clinic as the leader in electrophysiology care in Montana.

With their consistently high volume of patients, it’s no surprise that the electrophysiology program at Billings Clinic requires a staff of highly trained and experienced professionals to get the job done.

Currently, there are five heart rhythm physician specialists on staff in addition to a team of dedicated advanced practice providers and nurses, offering patients a strong background and experience in diagnosing and treating a variety of heart-related conditions.

“Compared to other programs in the state, our team performs standard procedures more often and performs more complex procedures that aren’t available in other programs in our state and region,” says Dr. Budge.

Performing these complex procedures frequently allows Dr. Budge and his team to enhance their skills and procedure protocols ultimately resulting in fewer complications during and after operations. This level of expertise and efficiency is unique to Billings Clinic, and gives patients a sense of ease knowing that they are in the best hands in the entire region.

Developing genuine relationships with patients

For Dr. Budge, the real joy of working in his field comes from the patients themselves.

“As an electrophysiologist, I get the opportunity to interact with patients and get to know them over time while being able to offer services that can truly be life changing,” he says. “It’s hard to describe the feeling I get when a patient describes the positive ways their life has changed as a result of one of our procedures.”

This level of patient care embodies the spirit and overall mission of the physicians and staff at Billings Clinic — offering world-class health care to locals throughout the region. In the end, even with all the unique services and expertise that the electrophysiology program offers, it is this emphasis on developing genuine relationships with patients that is at the heart of what drives Dr. Budge and his team day in and day out.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit our website or call 406-238-2000

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