Athens, Texas, has the highest ratio of heart disease patients to cardiologists in the country, while Rochester, Minn., has the lowest ratio, a LexisNexis report found.
The report used 2020 census data to determine metropolitan statistical areas and population and CDC data to determine cardiologist information. Cardiologists included cardiac electrophysiology, interventional cardiology and pediatric cardiology.
The report found smaller metro areas have higher ratios of patients to physicians, while areas with major academic medical centers have lower ratios.
"This ratio is important to consider as higher patient panel sizes can be associated with lower clinical quality, poorer patient experience, and provider burnout," the report said.
Here are the cities with the highest and lowest ratios of heart disease patients to cardiologists:
Highest ratio by metro area size
Large metro areas
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nev. — 824 heart disease patients to one cardiologist
Tusla, Okla. — 778
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif. — 765
Medium metro areas
Bremerton-Silverdale, Wash. — 2,195
Visalia-Porterville, Calif. — 2,000
Lancaster, Pa. — 1,476
Small metro area
Wausau, Wis. — 4,423
Battle Creek, Mich. — 2,662
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, Ala. — 2,432
Micropolitan area
Athens, Texas — 7,221
Sunbury, Pa. — 6,318
Aberdeen, Wash. — 5,437
Lowest ratio by metro area size
Large metro areas
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Mass.-N.H. — 196 heart disease patients to one cardiologist
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif. — 231
Salt Lake City — 265
Medium metro areas
Ann Arbor, Mich. — 89
Cedar Rapids, Iowa — 108
Des Moines-West Des Moines, Iowa — 131
Small metro area
Rochester, Minn. — 40
Iowa City — 67
Sioux City, Iowa-Nebraska-South Dakota — 153
Micropolitan area
Mason City, Iowa — 122
Hays, Kan. — 178
Burlington, Iowa-Ill. — 179