Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Ervin.
Hi Amy , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been a nurse practitioner in TN for 20 years and have worked exclusively in cardiology. My passion is preventative cardiology and treating underlying metabolic dysfunction.
Heart disease remains the #1 killer of men and women in the US and claims more lives than all cancers combined. Unfortunately, heart disease starts silently and only announces itself when there is advanced disease present. Previously, we’ve relied on risk factors like age, family history, cholesterol to determine who is at risk for heart disease and heart attack but we all know someone who looked like the picture of health on the outside and had a heart attack. We know that 50% of people who have their first heart attack, their heart attack was their first symptom.
The problem identify who is truly at risk for a heart attack. We’ve made a lot of progress over the last 20 years when CT Calcium score testing became widely used and was the best screening test for heart disease for the last two decades. The problem is there are three forms of plaque and CT Calcium scores only pick up calcified plaque-the most stable plaque of the three. The CT calcium score can not evaluate blood flow through the arteries and can not give enough detail to know who is really at the highest risk for a heart attack.
Over the last 2-3 years, we’ve seen cardiology practices moving from stress test imaging to CTs using contrast (coronary CTA) to evaluate the heart arteries. This has been a game changer. About 18 months ago, I was introduced to AI enhanced plaque analysis using technologies like Cleerly® and Heartflow®–once you see the arteries with this technology, there’s no going back. I can now show my patients their coronary arteries, millimeter by millimeter. They see exactly what I see. They know what I know about the state of their heart health.
Dr. Kevin Young and I started Young Heart Group and partnered with Longevity Health to bring coronary CTA with Cleerly as a screening test for heart disease to the state of TN. We perform coronary CTA using AI enhanced plaque analysis and provide cardiology consultation to discuss the results in person so you see what your heart arteries in real time.
My hope is that one day we screen for heart disease the way we screen for cancer. For breast, lung, and colon cancers, we rely on early detection with imaging studies because we know catching disease early saves lives. But with coronary artery disease, the approach has been to wait until symptoms develop. Until there’s a heart attack. A stent. Bypass surgery. Heart failure.
At Young Heart Group, we’re redefining prevention. Using coronary CT angiography with AI-enhanced plaque analysis, we identify heart disease in its earliest stages — often before symptoms begin. Our concierge cardiology model allows us to take immediate, personalized action: treatment plans built around each individual’s risk, lifestyle, and goals. We have the capability to move from reactive to proactive.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No new endeavor is without its challenges. Insurance does not pay for screening coronary CTAs using AI enhanced plaque analysis so we are a cash pay model for our services. We’ve worked hard to partner with local practices and create brand awareness.
Over the last three months, we have seen our hard work pay off. We are busier than ever while providing a high level of service with minimal weight time and same day notification by phone of your results.
So many of our customers who have undergone testing at our office have referred friends and family to us–there is no better referral than a happy client!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
What sets us apart is our ability to provide the highest level of cardiac imaging and expert care in a timely fashion. We can schedule coronary CTAs in 1-2 days of patients calling for an appointment. Most of our patients complete their scan in less than 30 minutes. We get results of the scan back in under 2 hours and the majority of the time, we provide same day results.
At Young Heart Group, we provide concierge cardiology care. Our members have direct access to our providers. We can see you for a same day appointment. We are a value based, patient driven practice. There are no time constraints and no restriction in access to your cardiology team. We facilitate referrals to higher levels of service like electrophysiology and interventional cardiology whenever needed.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
What I like least-the traffic.
I really love the diversity of Nashville. You have a city with so much to offer but I love that I can live in Nolensville where so many kids walk and bike to school everyday. It is the best of both worlds. I love that business, art, music, tech and healthcare all have such a strong presence here.
Pricing:
- Our coronary CTA scan with Cleerly® includes the study being read by a radiology, cardiologist and AI. The price is $2500 which includes a 30-60 minute cardiology consultation to review the results of your scan.
- We also provide a combined coronary CTA with Cleerly and cancer screening for $3500
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.youngheartgroup.com
- Instagram: @youngheartgroup
- Facebook: @youngheartgroup
- LinkedIn: @youngheartgroup
