When Seconds Matter: Charlie and Dr. Karwal

It was supposed to be a cozy Saturday night in with family. It was cold and raining in South Florida, and Charlie Bearham, Vice President of Revenue Cycle Management at Envision, was settling in to watch the latest Netflix series.

What happened next, nobody could have predicted.

Charlie began to sweat. A sudden and intense pressure was squeezing his chest. Pain began to radiate down his left arm.

With the help of his daughter, who is in medical residency studying to be a hospital medicine doctor, he quickly sought medical attention, ending up at the emergency department (ED) at Baptist Hospital.

“I didn’t know it at the time, but I was having a heart attack,” Charlie said.

A Typical Evening in the ED

Dr. Rahul Karwal has been with Envision since graduating residency, working in the Baptist Health ED for nearly ten years. He’s seen just about everything come through the doors.

On the same Saturday night in January, Dr. Karwal was working an overnight shift. He was caring for a patient with sepsis and making his usual rounds when an ambulance brought in a man suffering from an apparent heart attack. Dr. Karwal and his team immediately connected him to an EKG and IV, and within moments it was clear he needed to be transported to the Cath Lab, where an interventional cardiologist could place a stent.

During a heart attack, time is of the essence. Every second that passes could be the difference between life and death. The man Dr. Karwal cared for that night had a 90 percent blockage of his left anterior descending (LAD) artery, also known as the “widow maker.”

“Had he not come into the ED when he did, his outcome could have been very different,” Dr. Karwal said.

A Heartfelt Thank You

As Charlie was wheeled into surgery, he said goodbye to his family, with the hope that he would soon greet them again. Thanks to the quick actions and skill of the entire care team, he did.

It wasn’t until he was out of the hospital that Charlie learned that Dr. Karwal was one of the lead physicians who saved his life.

“He had a million things going on that night, caring for everyone else,” Charlie said. “Still, they were like a well-rehearsed NASCAR team – rapidly assessing my needs and mobilizing everyone for my treatment.”

Charlie says he remembers seeing everyone working on him as he lay in the bed.

“Not only did they rely on their expertise and instant decision-making, but they were incredibly compassionate and sympathetic to what I was experiencing. I can’t thank Dr. Karwal and everyone on the team enough for what they did for my family and me.”

A few months after that night, Dr. Karwal learned Charlie also worked at Envision. Still, he says caring for patients is personal and that he remembers Charlie’s case well. “In that type of situation, our goal was to get him to the Cath Lab as quickly as possible.”

An Envision Connection

Charlie has spent most of his career in healthcare operations. In his current role, he helps make sure clinicians are reimbursed for the care they provide and can focus on the patients in front of them.

“My perspective on my work – and the work clinicians do every day – came into sharp focus. Envision exists to help clinicians find balance in their work to deliver high-quality care. If we’re not supporting clinicians like the ones who cared for me or the next generation like my daughter, who will one day save someone else’s life, who will?”

Because of Dr. Karwal’s calling to practice medicine, he was there when Charlie needed him most. And unbeknownst to Dr. Karwal, he saved the life of a colleague who has dedicated his career to removing administrative burdens so clinicians can focus on what they do best – delivering exceptional patient care.

“In my time at Envision, I’ve had an incredibly supportive team and been provided with resources to help me in my practice,” Dr. Karwal said. “Meeting Charlie and learning about what he does at Envision has been meaningful to me and helped me understand more about the business aspect of healthcare.”

Charlie is doing well. After some rest and time spent away with his wife, he is in cardiac rehab and working to help clinicians navigate the complexity of a career in medicine.

“Life certainly has a way of reminding us how unpredictable things can be, and Charlie’s journey is a beautiful testament to making the most of every moment,” Dr. Karwal said.