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The Heart of the matter for Blue Coast Cardiology group

During her nearly 20 year career in cardiology, Dr. Hanh Bui has saved many lives, but there is one case she will always remember. A young man in his 40s had suffered a massive heart attack and was rushed to the hospital, where he received 20 shocks and intense CPR. What Dr. Bui remembers most from this experience is the conversation she had with the man’s wife — whose young children sat nearby — about the somber next steps.

“What we did that day could change their family history,” Dr. Bui recalled. “If this man dies, these two boys will grow up without a father.”

Fortunately, the man lived, following a lengthy stay in the ICU. Cases like these are the reason Dr. Bui gets out of bed in the morning.“It’s a pretty profound impact that you have on people,” Dr. Bui said. “I think that makes you a little more grateful for that opportunity, and I think a lot more careful about what you do.”

Dr. Hanh Bui. Courtesy photo

As an electrophysiologist and head practitioner at Blue Coast Cardiology in Vista, Dr. Bui is the person patients see when their heart rhythm is irregular. She’s installed pacemakers, catheters and defibrillators to improve the lives of people with cardiovascular disease. Whether she’s assessing a 30-year-old’s risk for cardiovascular disease, or installing a pacemaker in an 80-year-old patient, Dr. Bui wants folks to realize they are not alone in their journey.

“There are a lot of patients who are going through exactly what they’re going through,” Dr. Bui said. “We’re going to be there to support them and help them through this process, start to finish.”

With an undergraduate degree in history, Dr. Bui has always had a passion for learning people’s stories. This made for a seamless transition into the medical field, where Dr. Bui is able to analyze the human condition and engage with life on a deeper level. She and the doctors at her practice understand that there is more to patients than just their illnesses — they are human-beings with questions, feelings and emotions that need to be addressed.

“I think in our approach to managing our patients and taking care of them, we try to convey that level of sincerity and respect and try to take care of them in the totality of their lives,” Dr. Bui said.

Because of this philosophy, Dr. Bui and her team foster a genuine connection with folks that walk through the door. For example, in the office right near check-in is a beautiful floral watercolor painting hanging on the wall. The artist is one of Dr. Bui’s patients. She is a small, frail elderly woman on oxygen, and years back, this woman was a successful and talented artist. When Dr. Bui learned of this, she went to see her paintings and purchased one for the office. The doctor explained that there is always more to a patient than meets the eye.

“Patients that we see might be sick, elderly and frail, but at some point in time they were healthy, vibrant, attractive, and living their lives,” Dr. Bui said. “What I like to do is recall back to that and give them that honor and respect they deserve.”

The team at Blue Coast Cardiology couples their humanistic approach to patients with a desire to lead in the field. Dr. Bui and her colleagues attend national conferences and weekly meetings at the hospital to discuss cases and stay on the cutting edge with their treatment. At the end of the day, Dr. Bui said she is honored to save and impact lives in this meaningful way.

The Blue Coast Cardiology team is located near the Tri-City Medical Center at 2067 Vista Way, Suite 225, in the Vista Medical Plaza. They are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

For more information regarding insurance or offerings at Blue Coast Cardiology, call (760) 630-2550.