Had my appointment today at pulse heart Institute. Called a few weeks ago to schedule an appointment and admittedly the hold time was pretty long, but once I got on the phone, they were able to offer me an appointment time that worked for my schedule. Arrive today about five minutes before my appointment time and checked in... The front desk staff was very kind and verified my information and appointment time. I waited about five or six minutes before I was called back for my appointment. The nurse was kind and introduced herself, and explained the process to me. She was extremely efficient, letting me know she just needed access to my rib cage and my upper chest so unless I wanted to, there was no reason to undress as long as I could roll up my shirt. She explained about lightly exfoliating my skin, and why it was necessary before doing it, which was very helpful. I can understand how might be surprising or distressing for someone who is not expecting it. The EKG itself took less than five minutes, and once that was completed, I waited for a nurse to discuss my results with me. That wait was also less than five minutes and the nurse that came in was kind, respectful, informative, and double checked my reason for getting the EKG and the provider that it was supposed to be faxed to. He explained that the EKG would be reviewed one last time by another doctor to verify the results and then would be signed and faxed off to my provider. Overall, I had a very positive experience. The office itself is a little bit outdated, but other than that - which doesn't affect my actual care - I would say this is a five star experience. I very much appreciate efficiency and accuracy, as well as the ease of scheduling. read more

I am extremely disappointed with my experience trying to contact Pulse Heart Institute in Puyallup. I called to schedule an appointment for my 87-year-old grandmother, whom I personally care for, after she was referred to their office for cardiac care. My first call resulted in me being on hold for **50 minutes**, only to be disconnected. I called back and was placed on hold for another **27 minutes**, and that call was also dropped. I am now calling for a third time and was told that I am **number 28 in the call queue**. This level of service is incredibly disheartening--no pun intended--especially when we are talking about patients with heart conditions who are being referred to your facility for care. What makes this even more concerning is that there is **no hold music, message, or indication that the call is still connected**. You are simply sitting in silence for an extended period of time. If you are an elderly patient who doesn't have a smartphone that alerts you when a call has disconnected, you could easily sit there waiting without even realizing you've been disconnected. That is not an acceptable experience for patients trying to access healthcare. I completely understand that healthcare facilities can experience staffing shortages and high call volumes, but this goes beyond simply being busy. Patients and caregivers should not have to spend nearly two hours repeatedly trying to get through just to schedule an appointment. I truly hope Pulse Heart Institute addresses this issue for the sake of the many patients--especially elderly and vulnerable patients--who are being referred there for cardiac care. **Pulse Heart Institute, please DO BETTER.** Patients deserve better access, communication, and consideration when they are trying to receive care. read more

Pulse Heart Institute - Cardiologists Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Horrible service always canceling appointments that were scheduled months in advance. Went to two different surgery/procedure appointments at the hospital only to show up and check in, one to find out that they had two of the same name (BS) and canceled the wrong person, and the other one the cardiologist knew i did not need the procedure and did not let me know checked-in paid went up and got ready only to be canceled. Complained, but figured out that the cardiologist is one of the heads of PHI. Both times missed work. read more

i have seen so many different dr's and none of them seem to care. i wore a monitor for my heart for 30 days. no one ever went over the results nothing. then i did a stress test on a treadmill. my primary care provider looked at the results and they were inconclusive and they've never asked me to retake it, nothing. i tried to find another cardiologist to go to but it seems they have the monopoly. I don't recommend this facility at all if you need serious care. I've found them to be completely neglectful. still looking for another provider. read more

I am shocked that multicare has allowed pulse heart institute to operate in association with their name. You will die waiting to get a call back, the communication is none existent. At the beginning of the year I called the Puyallup location for 28 consecutive days and was unable to make an appointment. The only fix I found was to email the leadership at multicare. I would NOT recommend pulse heart institute for any of my loved ones dealing with ongoing heart issues. When you meet the staff they are pleasant, and caring, but getting to that point is agonisingly difficult. It would seem that this organization is woefully unqualified to provide the level of care necessary to be associated with Multicare. read more

So tired of excusses! been trying to schedule an appointment change, going on 4 business days with no responce! Told their phone system is'nt working! Totally unexceptable! Need to fire who ever is in charge! Of course they don't want you to know who is incharge! Just want your insurance infvo so they can bill you! Total BS! Need to fire them all and start over! read more

my experience at the pulse institute was like seeing the three stooges for medical advise and care, they finially wrote me off and said there was nothing they could do for me. Fortunately I had seen the ineptness prior and had set a appt for a Swedish cardiac surgeon - he fixed me. bleh to this shoddy place - but unfortunately good care and knowledgible doctors are difficult to find, most only want to push more drugs read more

Dangerously bad & dismissive care. I am considered medically complex due to how many different chronic health conditions I have and how they interact and make treatment quite difficult. I'm immunosuppressed due to autoimmune disease. When I came here for a new cardio issue I was told my issue had to either be psychological or due to my medications, because there's no other reason it'd happen to a 'healthy young person'. Rushed in and out in 5 minutes or less. A waste of time; I still have a new & concerning medical issue that has not been assessed, and will have to find someone else to help me with it. read more

I needed a nuclear stress test. The drive from Lacey in the snow to Tacoma should have been enough stress. Fortunately, Maps got me there on time. Trish, the receptionist, put me right at ease. She was both kind and friendly. Evan, inserted my IV. In my 67 years of living with a variety of illnesses, I'm qualified to say that Dr Evan was the best at that I've ever had. I didn't even know that it was done...I didn't even feel the needle prick! Dr Jay administered my meds and did the test. Both men were professional but empathetic. I also notice Geneve's interaction with her elderly patient. G showed great kindness and patience. I can't say the praises loud enough for everyone in this office. I was well cared for and made to feel special and not just another patient. I think they all really care. I recommend Pulse 100% read more

I love my cardiologist so I continue with Pulse. However, not every employee is as great as my doctor. IMO this is what happens when you have a very large clinic with many employees. Not all of them will be congenial and also efficient. (When you buy grapes not all of the bunch will be perfect.) Scheduling and call backs seem to be a definite problem and occasionally you run into someone who's having a bad day. My doctor is worth the little annoyance. read more

The pulse institute are really terrible with returning messages so don't expect a return call. Very frustrating when a patient doesn't an answer to a very serious question about an upcoming EMG test. NO response after leaving 3 concerned .messages. Nurse or tech never responded to me. All other departments are great..​ read more

The triage nurse was very rude to me on the phone she laughed at me because I was upset that triage did not call me back. I had concerns regarding my monitor and I had an allergic reaction to the tape the monitor is attached to. It She thought it was funny I was upset! read more

Not a fan of PULSE because of corporate lack of communciations and scheduling issues but after finally getting to see doctor today was truly impressed. Clinic lobby was neat & clean, reception was professional and courteous & had a less than ten minute wait for screening. Even though I had a student nurse (who was a little nerveous) his surervising nurse did a very good job with him and me. Less than 5 minutes Dr Hira comes in, gives great exam and develops plan with me. I got home and had a message waiting for follow-up test which I scheduled on-line and within acceptable time frame. Overall, a great experience. This is the way it should always work. read more

These people are absolutely impossible to contact. I had a full work up done and tons and tons of tests. They never made an appointment to follow up with me, and you cannot get a hold of anybody to talk to in their office. When you call them, you are told you are number 39 in line. You can never get in touch with them. If and when you can make an appointment, you can't get in to see a doctor for 6 to 8 months. Pulse Heart Institute is a terrible organization, and I would not want anyone to go through all the heartache I have. The only reason I don't give them a zero is because it's not offered. read more

The doctors seem knowledgeable and well informed. The scheduling and testing availability is woefully inadequate. My doctor ordered 3 tests and they were each scheduled for 4-6 weeks out. A few days before one of my scheduled tests they called and cancelled and asked me to call and reschedule. I left 3 messages and was finally called back. Now my test is another 8 weeks out. Total time to get the test was over 3 months. Find somewhere else to go. I am so worried about the care I am getting at Pulse Institute. Do not recommend. read more

This is in regard to the Pulse Heart Institute on 19th in Tacoma. They don't follow up on their tests. They don't answer the phone when you call. When you leave a message, they don't call you back. If you need information for surgery for another doctor they don't respond. On the My Chart they take forever to respond if they do. They basically leave you hanging not knowing anything. They are a heart clinic, and they are so lax it scares me. When I first started going there about six years ago, they were also terrible, just like they are now. They actually got better for a few years after but now they are back to not caring. It is really sad, read more

I phoned many times last week. No one answered, and there was no way to leave a message. They referred me to MyChart, but my provider is not listed there. Very frustrating. read more

Shout out to Emily at the front desk for being so efficient upon check in. I saw Alleah, Medical Asst (MA) last week for a monitor hookup. Alleah was super nice, professional and helpful yet she did neglect one tiny piece of info. I had a piece of equipment attached to my body that I was to return the next day. Unbeknownst to me, as I didn't have my glasses with me, and could not see the fine print, I signed an agreement stating that if I failed to return the equipment, I would pay $40 per day. Alleah did go over the terms of the agreement, except for that one tiny little detail. Had I known that, I would've had her extend the return date by one business day. No big deal yet now I'll owe an extra $40 on top of copay, coinsurance and deductible for both professional and facility charges. Today I saw Nicole, MA for rooming and intro. Super nice, professional and thorough. I will say Puget Sound Heart Institute hires well!!! Dr Jaime Pugeda is an absolute saint as well as a good doctor. He was thorough, efficient, professional yet sociable. I'm only sad I'm super heart healthy and don't get to see him again any time soon. We had a great conversation about our social responsibilities to help others. Thank you, Pulse Heart Institute for the fabulous care! read more

Pulse Heart Institute - Dr Pugeda is an IronMan! He's also a fab doc, so there's that! - Cardiologists Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Pulse Heart Int. pwrformed several tests including stress and nuclear radiology to evaluate my heart condition. I had the same procedure performed at Valley Medical in Renton recently. They did it the right way. Nuclear radiology of heart followed by stress test on treadmill and than another radiology. Valley med bill was way less than claimed by Pulse heart years earlier. I felt the multiple appointments and several procedures done at Pulse Heart to pad up the bill. And from the start there were no red flags. And when they told me they will continue with a 3D analysis I said no. Stop. I left and got a second opinion from experts at Mayo. They told me nothing to worry and just follow healthy lifestyle. read more

On hold for 45 mins just to make appt. Then cant get in for 6 months (and I am an established patient). The care is lackluster. They push drugs and wont bother to listen to you if you are interested in alternative drugs. No one bothers to follow up with you on your test results and what they mean, and how to proceed with care. Cardiologist puts me on one drug, Electrophysiologist asks why I'm on that drug and takes me off, no communication between the two! They are a moneymaking business, period. read more

If I could give this place a negative 5 stars, I would. My best friend has had 3 open heart surgeries and has a pace maker. He has been in AFib for over a year- 3 months ago his pace maker shocked him suddenly. He has desperately been trying to get an appointment with Pulse to help his heart. Last month he had an appointment at Pulse ( he waited months for this appointment). When he got to his appointment last month it took 3 receptionist to tell him his appointment was cancelled. They lied and said they had sent him a message in My Chart cancelling his appointment. It is an hour commute to get to this office and with the way gas prices are and him being on a fixed income due to his heart- this was roughly $100 wasted. The receptionist at the Chehalis office confirmed there was never a message sent in My Chart to cancel this appointment. Fast forward to today: my friend has had an appointment scheduled for tomorrow (this appointment is holding up him being shocked to get out of AFib and will delay all other appointments needed to help him) They sent him a text yesterday to confirm his appointment for tomorrow. He received at call 4:48 pm today- cancelling his appointment for tomorrow. The reason is because "no one will be in the office". How does a business run by doing this? This is someone's HEART! Truly, Pulse is slowly killing my best friend by their unprofessionalism. The response to my friend when he told them this was the second time they've cancelled an appointment is for him to reach out to his insurance provider to find another place- and they could schedule him in another month. How is this acceptable? Pulse in Olympia needs to have their corporate office come clean house. They are killing their patients and do not seem to care. See- I'm sure it's all a days work to the employees in the Olympia Pulse office- but I'm writing this review because to me this my bestest friend that is slowly dying. I'm disgusted by Pulse in Olympia. read more

dont waste your time i keep getting rescheduled, they cant find or try to get the right high blood pressure medication. do yourself a favor find another place to go. you will not get better going here. read more

July 14. 2018. My husband had cardiac arrest. I thank God for Dr. Curt Kinney and my lifelong friend, Joan Horn, for saving his life and bringing him back to us! read more

Not only does it take forever to get an echocardiogram, but it's impossible to get help over the phone. I just called and had to wait for forty minutes - only to have the operator transfer me to the wrong place, and then those people transferred me to the wrong place, then those people transferred me back to the line that had a forty minute wait again. There is no reason for this but incompetence. Also, their MyChart is not working for me and nobody can fix it. I will say that one person tried very hard to fix it and I appreciate her efforts. But ultimately, they gave up and I just can't message my provider via MyChart. That leaves me with a non-functioning phone system so I literally have no way to communicate with anyone. read more

The cardiologist I saw was great, and so were the ladies at the reception desk. I was sent back in to do an ultrasound of my heart, however the lady who did it was very rude. She seemed very frustrated when trying to get my imaging done, and yelled at me several times because I wasn't holding my breath correctly, even though I felt I was. She even mumbled an "Ugh" and an aggressive "Oh my god" under her breath as she was so frustrated. I've been through this routine of "hold your breath, deep breath in, etc" many times as I've done several non-cardiac related ultrasounds, but never once had a tech complain about me not breathing correctly like this before. Before the appointment fully started, she opened the door before I had finished changing into the gown, and I politely let her know I was not ready yet (its cold out & I was wearing multiple layers). She let out a loud, annoyed sigh that I wasn't ready immediately - so she was clearly frustrated before the appointment had even started . After this stressful appointment was finally done, she said she was going to step out for a moment so I could change out of the gown. I waited for a moment after changing, expecting her to come back with follow-up information, when I'd see my results, etc as usually done at other doctors appointments I've had. But nope, waited for nothing. I walked out and she was nowhere to be seen. Had to ask a totally different employee if I needed to do anything to checkout or wait for paperwork. I left my appointment emotional because of how this lady made me feel. read more

You will die waiting for an appointment here or for someone to return your phone call. 4 months is NOT uncommon to wait for an appointment.... even post hospitalization priority appointment. Almost seems as though they are trying to feed their hospitalizations or cardiac surgeries through lack of medication management, testing and preventative care they create true emergencies. They have been understaffed for 10 years, it is never ending. read more

Sad Awful Patient Treatment, the Medical Commission doesn't share patient's bad experiences with the public, thanks for websites that do, I wouldn't want what MD's at Pulse to do to my bird what they did to me. I'm like stage 4 heart failure and was rejected from getting on the transplant by a smiling ****. Their Treatment options left me far worse than I was when I arrived at the emergency room. They mounted a EV ICD Implant battery onto a broken rib, they knew it was broken and I asked repeatedly for them to keep clear of it, the rib is connected to a broken spine. I left there, would never recommend them. Getting medicine each month was a nightmare. My primary doctor tried spine surgery which made thing really worse. They put the EV ICD in at Tacoma General, can't imagine what hell awaits me at Saint Joseph Heart and Vascular Treatment Center. Pulse Institute can't get small enough in my rear view mirror to please me. My 92 year old mother witnessed some of the abusive attitude at Pulse in Tacoma. No MD should ever ask You what You & He/She Can Do to make Your health better. And I was delta the question, who's boss, a young MD or a room full of older MD's, I chose the room full and canceled any more wasted time with Pulse Institute I'm critical and they wasted more than 3 years of my time, I also left there feeling like ******* roadkill. read more

I have no issues with the cardiologists. I have HUGE issues with communication, the processes, the scheduling and the lack of caring. Return phone calls are greater than 10 days. My husband has a serious arrhythmia and needs an ablation and they have cancelled his appointment more times then I can count, scheduled him on the wrong day and refused to see him. He had an MRI the first of August and NOW they can't fit him in to discuss treatment going forward until the end of October. They are rude and just behave like they don't care. It is like oh well...sucks to be you if your heart stops. We will be transferring care to UWMC. I am done. My husbands life is important to me even if it's not important to them. read more

I see from other reviews that I'm having a pretty typical experience with Pulse. I was referred there by my PCP after she did an ekg and found an abnormal heart rhythm. Well, it turned out to be nothing to worry about....but Dr. Momah at Pulse was rushed and dismissive during my appointment. He didn't seem to understand how much medication i was taking and reduced the dosage too quickly. He also did not explain the new plan very well so I was left with questions on a medication that is causing awful side effects. I've been trying and trying to get an answer via phone and mychart, and the best i can get is we'll pass your question on to our providers. A person could end up in the ER waiting for these people. It takes forever to get tests and appointments as well. It's sad if this is the condition of Healthcare in this country anymore. But there's gotta be s better place to go for cardiac care! read more

I had a procedure done yesterday by Dr. Sims. Tacoma General and Dr. Sims were absolutely amazing! Everyone was professional, courteous and compassionate. I highly recommend Pulse heart Institute and Tacoma General for all your cardiac needs! read more

I love my doctor Dr Patel but I hate Pulse Heart. It us impossible to schedule an annual appointment with them. They either "aren't scheduling out that far", "don't know when that schedule will be opening " or he is already totally booked. I'm going to look for another cardiologist at somewhere other than pulse heart!! read more

Too many people, the visits feel rushed. Dr was good, but they are so busy! Maybe they will open another office. Thank you...

I would leave 0 stars if possible. These people are impossible to get on the phone. I've been on hold 2 hours with them more than once. And sometimes when they answer, I get hung up on and have to start over. My husband and I were both patients there. They said the best way to schedule and communicate, was thru the portal. So I sent request to schedule his stress test. Took them a week to get back to me and they said I needed to call them to schedule. That was the final straw. I refuse to continue to spend hours on the phone on hold simply because they choose profit over hiring the needed staff. read more

It's been a week since my appointment with Dr. Raju Patel. The visit was VERY rushed and he covered a lot of ground. There are no available visit notes in MyChart and I cannot reach anyone to answer questions I have about my diagnosis, prognosis, and scheduled tests. This place has the worst customer service I've ever experienced anywhere, let alone from a medical specialist. Make the drive to another city. You'll be treated better. read more

Scheduling needs work as a reschedule got posted as a cancelation. Reception brusque. Actual providers much more personable.

If I could give them negative stars I would. My dad was trying since January to get his heart disease better. They took 3 weeks to get him in to see them. Then after 2 months he still didn't even meet with the dr. He had internal bleeding that needed to be taken care of to find out the source & they scheduled him a month out. He died yesterday before we could even see a dr. They need to prioritize patients & with the 15 or 20 something dr's they don't see patients in a timely matter when it literally is a matter of life & death. Him & I both knew what needed to be done but it was like they didn't care & they passed us on to someone else. Do not go here if you are looking for help when your loved one is going down hill. My dad did everything that he was supposed to do to get a stint for his heart but they were too damn slow!!!!!!! I will never recommend this place to anyone! read more

Unfortunately there is not an option to give ZERO STARS. I had the most HORRENDOUS experience with these so called professionals. I have been having concerning chest pain for one month now. I was originally seen by urgent care who did an EKG and they immediately sent me to the ER for an abnormal EKG. The ER noted that things were not normal with my case, however could not pinpoint what the issue was and I was referred to cardiologist. I was looking forward to seeing the Cardiologist and was then scheduled with Dr Ravi Hira. However, when I arrived to my consult I felt completely dismissed. Immediately the medical assistant told me, "Usually we run an EKG but you just had one last week so I won't." Then Dr. Ravi Hira came in asked me my symptoms and then said, "Maybe you have a sore muscle. Take ibruprofen." Are you kidding me? He is a cardiologist so I believed him. WRONG MOVE. A couple of days later I was working @ my computer and my heart began to beat very rapidly and I found myself very short of breath. I waited it out and then after a while grew concerned so went back to ER. The ER (who was great) did the right thing. They ran a new ekg and found that it had changed despite Dr. Hira saying it didn't and him refusing do even do one. The ER also took xrays, ran tests etc and found that I do indeed have Pericarditis as well as fluid around my heart. The ER Dr said that this was causing my pain and NOT a simple sore muscle like Dr. Hira said. I began taking medicine for this diagnosis and continue to. However the pain has days where it increases along with new symptoms. I found myself back in the ER last week and there they admitted me. They ran the tests and then I was told that I would be held a SECOND night though I didn't want to stay that second night. But I listened. The ER's reason for me to stay was so that a cardiologist FROM PULSE HEART INSTITUTE could talk to me in person. Well guess what, I stayed and no Dr saw me. In fact, they refused to. I had to beg a nurse to get a hold of a DR at PULSE HEART. The nurse then relayed the Dr from pulse heart's thoughts to me. What the? Anyhow- Per the Cardiologist from PULSE HEART they told the nurse to tell me to *keep the appointment that I already had scheduled with PULSE HEART for a stress test. I MADE SURE to confirm that this test was indeed needed since they did a similar test while I was admitted in the hospital and PER THE CARDIOLOGIST "This test can see things the other test will not." So I was looking forward to my appointment with them. I was looking forward to seeing a CARDIOLOGIST FOR MY CHEST PAIN THAT HAS LASTED ONE MONTH. After multiple phone calls the last two weeks with Pulse Heart regarding insurance and them failing to send a referral to my insurance, they FINALLY sent it over so my insurance could approve it. I was SO looking forward to help and answers. I even spoke with them TODAY at PULSE RATE regarding confirming tomorrow's appointment! HOWEVER just one hour ago, ONE DAY before my scheduled appointment Ashley from PULSE HEART called and said, " We won't see you tomorrow. It won't help." Are you kidding me? I am beyond upset. She then tried to assure me that, "WE can see you in two weeks to go over all results." Like that's reassuring? They haven't attempted to help at all but they are willing to go over results? Not going to happen. Don't trust they can read the results. The last two days I have began to have JAW PAIN, TIGHTNESS and TEETH PAIN. These are new symptoms along with my chest pain and yet I am not finding help with these folks. I WILL NOT see them again and WILL NEVER refer them. Their reviews online are horrible as is their lack of service. They don't return calls. They fail to respond to MyChart Messages. This is a place that DOES NOT CARE for their patients. read more

I have been a patient at this clinic since it was called the Cardiac Study Center, never had a problem getting an appointment with my doctor. since it has become the pulse heart institute, i am unable to get an appointment. I am scheduled to see my doctor every six months and they refuse to make one. the schedulers say that they will send you a card when it is time. i am yet to ever receive this reminder card. I was very ill in 2021 and called to talk to my doctor. instead of getting my doctor a PA told me to drink water to help my Afib symptoms. This clinic is unbelievable uncaring since it became Pulse Heart read more

Good luck to you if you have been referred here. Someday, you may actually get an appointment to get some tests done. After that, with another dose of luck, a health care professional will contact you regarding the results of said tests. I'm not sure if that will happen for you, however; my husband has been waiting a couple of weeks and has not heard anything about his test results. (Fingers crossed!) No amount of luck will get you a call back if you do decide to reach out. I don't care if you are having serious side effects from the meds they prescribed; the are far too busy to deal with your whining. You may be tempted to believe the spiel you will get regarding a 24 hour turn around time on returning phone calls; please don't. You will only be frustrated and disappointed while you wait with your phone and your crushing anxiety over your very serious health condition. read more

I was in a time crunch and needed to see a cardiologist due to a long term condition that was delaying the process of donating a kidney. Already an established patient at Pulse Heart Tacoma it had been two years since I had been in. Tonya, admin specialist, who took my call got me into the PHI within 5 days. My current Dr. Tobia Lee had no openings but I was able to see Dr. P. Chen. Within a week I was scheduled for an exam, tread stress test and nuke stress test to make sure I was healthy for the donation process. I don't think the staff went above and beyond but more with their everyday process of compassion and care toward patients. I watch their interaction with people and it never changes, the same compassion for all. Many thank yous to Tonya (admin scheduler), Paris (admin), Amanda (tread test), Dr Tobias Lee (my doc), Dr. P Chen (fill in for Dr. Lee and provided me with the tests), Jay and Amber (nuke test center) and all other personnel I was not able to obtain names from. You all eliminated a lot of stress and hopefully save a life. The donation process is April 2nd. Cheers to All, DKelly. read more