The Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute team in May 2023 welcomed nurse practitioner Anna Rourke. Hoag’s specialized nurse practitioner positions, including Anna’s, are funded by philanthropy and elevate care for Hoag patients. While Anna is focused on cardiology at Hoag, she has vast experience and is triple board-certified in adult-gerontology acute care, emergency care, and primary care. 

Nurse practitioners play a vital role within the health care team by performing a wide range of functions, including the diagnosis and treatment of disease and injury, health promotion and disease prevention, health and wellness education, quality improvement, and program management. Prior to joining Hoag, Anna practiced in cardiology and emergency medicine as well as held a faculty position at California State University, Long Beach teaching nurse practitioner students. In her current role, she provides patient education to those with cardiovascular disease, supervises cardiac stress tests, chairs Hoag’s Acute Myocardial Infarction Committee, is the Cardiovascular Receiving Center coordinator, and participates in other Hoag committees and initiatives focused on the continual improvement of patient care. Anna recently earned her Basic Certificate in Quality and Safety from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.

Since joining Hoag, Anna has become a certified health coach so that she can work more effectively with patients to implement a heart-healthy lifestyle. “I spend a lot of time talking with patients about preventive cardiology and strategizing ways to incorporate heart-healthy choices into their daily routine. It’s one thing to know better, but it’s another thing to do better,” Anna said. “Each conversation is personalized, and each plan is tailored to the individual’s needs and goals.”

Anna’s passion for cardiology care stems from her family. Her beloved grandparents both had heart conditions, and she spent time during her childhood in medical facilities watching those providing care. “I thought, ‘Wow, these clinicians are giving me more time with my grandparents,’ and then it became my goal,” Anna said. She recognizes that there is something special about Hoag and her colleagues.

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