Heart and Vascular Institute of Wisconsin

02/06/2026

Celebrating Go Red Day

The employees at our main Appleton office today wearing red to recognize National Go Red Day.

What was once considered Go Red For Women Day has been changed to encourage people to wear red clothing to show their support for heart health and to spark conversations about the importance of preventing heart disease in both men and women.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be the leading cause of death globally and in the U.S., claiming nearly 19.8 million lives annually worldwide and one in every three U.S. deaths.

02/05/2026

Thoughts For Heart Month

According to Heart and Vascular Institute electrophysiology cardiologist Dr. Daniel Nelson, “In recognition of National Heart Month I will be posting a few educational messages this month. Let’s start with a very interesting clinical study known as CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults).

The CARDIA study included over 5,000 participants with an average age of 25 years that were recruited between 1985 and 1986 and followed them over the course of their lives to collect data on the progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

What this study found is that men tend to develop CVD around 7-10 years earlier than women, with risk for men typically beginning around age 35. The study also concluded that men and women began to incur risk for stroke and heart failure a few years later around the same age.

This study strongly suggests that prevention and screening for cardiovascular disease is something to consider earlier in life, particularly for men and possibly as early as age 30. At the same time, this should not discourage women from also focusing on prevention and screening, since cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of mortality and premature death in women.

Important steps for both men and women to take would include seeing your primary care physician on an annual basis beginning in your 30’s and obtaining standard lab work for cholesterol, blood sugar levels, etc. to track over time. In addition, men age 35 and women age 40 should consider a Coronary Artery Calcium test.

Lastly, Friday, February 6th is Go Red Day so don't forget to wear red!

If you would like to read more about the CARDIA study, you can do that through this link.”
https://sites.uab.edu/cardia/

01/28/2026

Our Apologies Regarding a Phone Outage

Today we experienced an IT system issue that caused our phone system to be down from approximately 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. This also resulted in our office computers to be down at our Appleton location at 5045 W Grande Market drive.

What we were told is that this was caused by an issue at the offsite data center which hosts our IT system as well as other organizations.

We were able to see patients and do testing, although this required some old-fashioned paper documentation which will be transferred into our system now that it is back and running.

We are deeply sorry if you tried to call and could not reach us.

12/23/2025

So that our employees can enjoy some time with their families, please note that the Heart and Vascular Institute of Wisconsin offices will be closed on the following days during this holiday season.

- Wednesday, December 24th starting at noon
- Thursday, December 25th all day
- Thursday, January 1st all day

As usual, we will be seeing patients in the area Ascension and ThedaCare hospitals every day and have a physician on call for emergencies. If you are having symptoms, please call 911 and get to an emergency room.

Have a safe, joyful and healthy holidays!

12/19/2025

Be Aware of Holiday Heart Syndrome

According to Heart and Vascular Institute electrophysiology cardiologist Dr. Daniel Nelson, “Holiday heart syndrome is mostly linked with excessive alcohol consumption and other risk factors that occur this time of year. However, it isn’t only drinking that can affect the heart negatively during the holidays. Other contributing factors include an increase in sugar and salt intake that come from over-eating and consuming foods that are harder for the body to metabolize. The holidays can also result in increased stress and depression, affecting cortisol levels in the blood.

The most worrisome complication of holiday heart syndrome is Atrial Fibrillation (Afib). Studies have shown that for every 10 grams of alcohol you consume, you run a 5% higher risk of experiencing AFib. Fortunately, in most instances the irregular heartbeat of Afib resolves on its own within a few days but can last much longer. It’s important to keep in mind that any form of Afib, even if temporary, increases your risk of a stroke.

If you want to minimize the potential of holiday heart syndrome you should do the following:
• Avoid drinking alcohol altogether or try never to consume large amounts in a short period of time.
• Continue taking your medications, especially any meds for your heart or high blood pressure.
• Practice relaxation techniques and prioritize self-care to minimize stress.
• Monitor your heart health and look for symptoms such as an irregular heartbeat or shortness of breath.
• Stay active with regular physical activity.
• Practice good sleep habits.

The holidays can be a dangerous time for your heart. If you are having symptoms, be safe and go see a physician or head to the ER. “

12/04/2025

Apologies to our patients

We have been having problems with our phone system (3CX) for the past few days. Sometimes an incoming call can be answered but we cannot hear the caller or we answer a call and the person calling cannot hear us. The most significant issue occured this past Monday when our phone system was down for 6 hours.

We have replaced our phones, rebooted the 3CX system and installed a new internet provider (since like many corporate phone systems these days, 3CX is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone system that uses an internet connection to make and receive calls instead of traditional landlines.

Our IT partner (Ideal Technologies) is working to resolve these issues and we still are have some lingering issues.

Thank you for being patient with us. We will do what it takes to find a permanent fix.

Larry Sobal, CEO
Heart and Vascular Institute of Wisconsin

10/14/2025

We Are Back In Network With UnitedHealthcare Insuranced Patients!

Today, Ascension and UnitedHeathcare announced that they have reached a contractual agreement, ending their 14-day dispute.

As we reported last week, the Heart and Vascular Institute has an arrangement with Ascension so that we function under their insurance contracts. Therefore, on October 1st when the contract between Ascension and United was not renewed, the Heart Institute temporarily was out of network for United Patients.

Fortunately, the conttract between Ascension and United has been renewed. In addition, the contract will consider all patient encounters going back to October 1st as in-network.

With today's announcement you no longer need to submit any continuity or care applications.

We would like to extend our thanks to our patients for being understanding that HVI was caught in the middle of this dispute. Of course, we also thank Ascension and United for reaching agreement so we can go back to treating United patients!

The new contract between Ascension Wisconsin and UnitedHealthcare was announced on Oct. 14 and is effective immediately.

10/07/2025

To All Heart and Vascular Institute of Wisconsin Patients With UnitedHealthcare Insurance

On October 1st, the contract between Ascension Health and UnitedHealthcare expired and has, as of October 7th, not been renewed.

Because the Heart and Vascular Institute functions under Ascension's insurance contracts, this dispute means that Heart and Vascular Institue is out-of-network for UnitedHealthcare insured patients.

We will continue to monitor this situation and report if the two sides can get together and reach agreement.

If you are a UnitedHealthcare insured member, you should call the phone number on the back of your insurance card and get clear instructions regarding how to proceed with your heart care with us.

In many instances, UnitedHealthcare will approve "continuity of care" so that you can continue to receive care from any of our physicians at our locations in Appleton, Chilton and Oshkosh. We have already received approval from United for continued care for many patients. Note that the approval for continuity care care is made by United and can take up to 15 days.

We are frustrated that you and us are caught in the middle of this dispute. It's important for you to know that although we are (hopefully termporarily) out of network with United, you are still are patients and we are available to answer your calls about your clinical symptoms, refill prescriptions, etc.

Ascension Wisconsin hospitals and providers are no longer in-network for people with UnitedHealthcare coverage. Here's what to know about the issue.

09/30/2025

Each year on World Heart Day (29th of September) the World Heart Federation unites its global network to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

The goal is to prevent millions of premature deaths and urge governments to prioritize equitable heart health.

The World Heart Day message this year is "Don't Miss A Beat". The mission remains as urgent as ever because heart disease remains the number one killer in the United States and across the world. Sadly, 1 in 5 people will die prematurely from heart disease.

This campaign emphasizes that individuals in their 40s, when their metabolism slows and the impact of diet and lifestyle becomes more evident, should make heart-healthy choices to add years to their lives.

But whatever your age, you should be proactive about your heart health by making healthy choices and seeking timely medical attention when needed.

07/29/2025

Thank you, voters!

Once again, we are honored to have been voted by the community as the Best Cardiology Clinic/Hospital in both the 2025 Post Crescent Best of the Valley and Oshkosh Northwestern Best of Winnebago County contests.

Cardiovascular disease remains America's #1 killer, and we will continue to do our best to provide excellent care to the tens of thousands of patients who entrust us help them battle the wide array of cardiovascular conditions.

On behalf of all the Physicians and Associates at the Heart and Vascular Institute of Wisconsin locations, thank you for your support!

07/24/2025

We are very proud of Heart and Vascular Institute cardiologist Dr. Carrie Chapman. She was recently awarded the Amazing Angel award by Ascension Health. She was nominated by a patient who she helped through a challenging clinical scenario. You can watch the news segment that highlights the award ceremony.

Congratulations Dr. Chapman!

APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) – A heart attack survivor found a special way to show his appreciation for one of the doctors who helped him. Back in February, Jim Hansen had a heart attack near the baggage claim at the Appleton International Airport. The quick actions of a bystander who knew CPR saved his ...

07/16/2025

Recently the Fox Valley Humane Society put out a notice they were low on food supplies for their animals. That's when Melissa Gibbs-the Heart and Vascular Clinic Manager -sprang into action to organize a food drive with her coworkers.

The end result was hundreds of pounds of dog and cat food being delivered today to the Humane Society!

A great job by everyone who contributed!

Pictured are Melissa on the left and Sheri Krueger (Director of Cardiovascular Services) on the right.