Heart valve clinic: rationale and organization.
With an increasing prevalence of patients with valvular heart disease (VHD), a dedicated management approach delivered in a well-defined structure, namely, the heart valve clinic (HVC), is warranted. The HVC is made up of a multidisciplinary team with high expertise in the diagnosis, management, treatment, and surveillance of patients with VHD. The aim of the HVC is to provide the highest quality of care to patients with VHD to improve the level of adherence to current evidence and guidelines, quality of life, and short- and long-term outcomes. The HVC also provides help in (1) informing and educating patients to motivate them to take their prescribed medications and look out for signs indicating a worsening of their disease, (2) organizing meetings for updates in knowledge for modern management of patients with VHD, and (3) disseminating protocols of contemporary and good practice in VHD.
Department of Cardiology, University of Liège Hospital, GIGA Cardiovascular Sciences, Heart Valve Clinic, CHU Sart Tilman, Liège, Belgium. Electronic address: plancellotti@chu.ulg.ac.be.
Patrizio
P
Lancellotti
Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Raphael
R
Rosenhek
Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec/Québec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Québec City, Québec, Canada.
Philippe
P
Pibarot
D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D006126:Group Processes; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012380:Role