R. Parker Ward, MD
R. Parker Ward, MD
Professor of Medicine
Director, Cardiovascular Fellowship Program
Director, Nuclear Cardiology
Specialties
- Cardiology (Heart Care)
- Cardiac Imaging
Locations
- Chicago - Hyde Park
Schedule an Appointment
- About
- Specialties & Areas of Expertise
- Locations & Patient Information
- Education & Research
- Accepted Insurance
- External Professional Relationships
[MUSIC PLAYING] My name is Parker Ward. I'm a cardiologist and cardiovascular imaging specialist, and in my clinical practice I see patients within all areas of general cardiology. I'm particularly focused on using noninvasive testing for the diagnosis and prevention of cardiovascular disease and helping patients interpret the results of noninvasive testing, to come up with the best lifestyle and treatment plan for their long term cardiovascular health.
My approach to caring for patients is to try to consider and exhaust all noninvasive options for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. But yet, also to never avoid or delay invasive testing if that really will lead to the best long-term outcome for my patients.
If there's one thing I've learned more than any other in 20 years of practicing cardiology, it's that my relationship with my patients is a partnership. I can prescribe a medication. I can suggest a test or procedure. But only if that's a joint decision, one that my patients understand, that considers their preferences and concerns. Only then will it be the best long-term option for their care.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
R. Parker Ward, MD, is a skilled cardiologist with special expertise in noninvasive imaging techniques, including echocardiography and nuclear cardiology. Dr. Ward's clinical interests include heart valve disease, cardiac stress testing, and preventive cardiology. His research interests focus on the application of novel noninvasive imaging techniques for the diagnosis of cardiovascular disease. Dr. Ward has been consistently recognized for his clinical, teaching, and research expertise.
Specialties
Areas of Expertise
- Cardiac Stress Testing
- Echocardiography
- General Cardiology
- Noninvasive Cardiac (Heart) Testing
- Preventive Cardiology
Board Certifications
- Cardiovascular Disease
Practicing Since
- 1994
Languages Spoken
- English
Medical Education
- Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania
Residency
- Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Fellowship
- University of Chicago Medicine
Memberships & Medical Societies
- American Society of Nuclear Cardiology
- American Society of Echocardiography
- American College of Cardiology
News & Research
Insurance
- Aetna Better Health *see insurance page
- Aetna HMO (specialists only)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO
- Aetna POS
- Aetna PPO
- BCBS Blue Precision HMO (specialists only)
- BCBS HMO (HMOI) (specialists only)
- BCBS Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO
- BCBS PPO
- Cigna HMO
- Cigna POS
- Cigna PPO
- CountyCare *see insurance page
- Humana Medicare Advantage Choice PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage Gold Choice PFFS
- Humana Medicare Advantage Gold Plus HMO
- Medicare
- Multiplan PPO
- PHCS PPO
- United Choice Plus POS/PPO
- United Choice HMO (specialists only)
- United Options (PPO)
- United Select (HMO & EPO) (specialists only)
- United W500 Emergent Wrap
- University of Chicago Health Plan (UCHP)
Our list of accepted insurance providers is subject to change at any time. You should contact your insurance company to confirm UChicago Medicine participates in their network before scheduling your appointment. If you have questions regarding your insurance benefits at UChicago Medicine, please contact our financial counseling team at OPSFinancialCounseling@uchospitals.edu.
Some of our physicians and health professionals collaborate with external pharmaceutical, medical device, or other medical related entities to develop new treatments and products to improve clinical outcomes for patients. In some instances, the physician has ownership interests in the external entity and/or is compensated for advising or speaking about the entity’s products or treatments. These payments may include compensation for consulting and speaking engagements, equity, and/or royalties for products invented by our physicians. To assure objectivity and integrity in patient care, UChicago Medicine requires all physicians and health professionals to report their relationships and financial interests with external entities on an annual basis. This information is used to review relationships and transactions that might give rise to potential financial conflicts of interest, and when considered to be significant a management plan to mitigate any biases is created.
If you are a patient at UChicago Medicine and would like more information about your physician’s external relationships, please talk with your physician. You may also visit the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Open Payments website at https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov/ . CMS Open Payments is a national disclosure program that promotes a more transparent and accountable health care system. It houses a publicly accessible database of payments that reporting entities, including drug and medical device companies, make to covered recipients like physicians and hospitals.
Information in the CMS Open Payments database could potentially contain inaccurately reported and out of date payment information. All information is open to personal interpretation, if there are questions about the data, patients and their advocates should speak directly to their health care provider for a better understanding.