Oliver Monfredi, MD, specializes in helping people with heart rhythm problems. These include heart palpitations, or rapid heartbeat, and light-headedness and fainting related to slow heart rhythms.
Get to Know This Heart Doctor
We asked Monfredi our 7 quick questions.
1. What has most inspired and shaped your approach to patient care?
Coming from a family of non-medical people and understanding how patients really see their interactions with physicians. I always try not to assume a degree of understanding in somebody who is non-medical, which would be unfair to assume. I think that helps with my communication with patients on a day-to-day basis.
2. What’s your favorite part of your job?
The privilege of being able to look after patients, to have them trust you, and to foster a relationship with them over many years.
3. What’s your biggest fear when you’re a patient?
Going in and being given a diagnosis where nobody can really help.
4. What do you do for stress relief?
I run a lot. We have a little terrier who runs every mile with me. I like to cycle. And I’m fortunate to have two wonderful little girls who could bring a smile to anybody’s face.
Have a Heart Rhythm Disorder?
UVA Health offers a full range of treatments.
5. Dogs or cats?
I’m very firmly a dog person.
6. What’s the last movie you watched?
Most of the movies that I see are ones that my little girls like to watch. So the last movie that I watched with them was Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, which they loved.
7. Best advice you’ve ever heard?
To live for today because health is a fragile thing.