From Imaging to Community: A Cardiologist’s Upstream Mission with Professor Monica Monaghan

Send us Fan MailWhat if the real breakthrough in heart care isn’t a new drug, but a new way of listening? Cardiologist Monica Moaghan joins us from Enniskillen to unpack how modern cardiology can be both high-tech and deeply human—combining CT coronary angiography, strong GP partnerships, and practical prevention to stop cardiac events before they start.We talk through a typical “consultant of the week” rhythm, then zoom out to the upstream moves that matter in rural communities: building trust with family doctors, bringing education into local halls, and turning simple markers—blood pressure, LDL, HbA1c—into life-changing action. Monica explains why CTCA is overtaking treadmill tests, how visualising plaque sharpens shared decisions, and where waiting lists and social care bottlenecks still hold patients back. Her take on women’s heart health is candid and urgent: Beyond the Bikini means recognising different presentations, respecting dual pathology, and correcting a long-standing bias that kept too many women under-investigated.Alongside the clinical insights, we explore the culture behind safe, sustainable care. Monica shares how protected time with junior doctors, routine debriefs, and honest conversations about mental health reduce burnout and improve outcomes. She’s equally forthright about embracing informed patients—yes, even the ChatGPT printouts—by grounding every plan in a careful history, clear language, and transparent uncertainty. If you care about prevention, rural healthcare, imaging advances, and the human skills that make medicine work, this conversation will stay with you.If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a review to help more listeners find these stories. Tell us: which number will you check first—BP, LDL, or HbA1c?👩‍⚕️ Guest BiographyProfessor Monica Monaghan is a Consultant Cardiologist and Clinical Director for Medicine, Primary Care, and Older People at the Western Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland. Specialising in multimodality cardiac imaging, she also leads initiatives focused on prevention, community engagement, and holistic patient care. Monica is deeply committed to “upstream medicine” — empowering both patients and healthcare professionals to understand their own health metrics through her Know Your Numbers campaign. She also teaches medical students from Queen’s University Belfast, Ulster Graduate Medical School, and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.Location: Enniskillen, Northern IrelandOrganisation: Western Health and Social Care TrustLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-monaghan-35b8a825/ Subscribe on SubstackVoices in Health and Wellness is published on Substack, as part of The Diagnostician. Every episode lands there with written notes and reflections you won't find in the podcast feed. Free to subscribe.👉 https://thediagnostician.substack.com/s/voices-in-health-and-wellnessAbout the podcastVoices in Health and Wellness features conversations at the intersection of medicine, lifestyle, and human potential, with clinicians, scientists, and thinkers shaping the future of care.About Dr Andrew GreenlandUK-based medical doctor and founder of Greenland Medical, specialising in Integrative and Functional Medicine. Trained in both conventional and root-cause approaches, Andrew helps people optimise health, performance, and longevity, with a focus on cognitive resilience and healthy ageing.