title: Structure and functioning of a multidisciplinary 'Heart Team' for patients with coronary artery disease: rationale and recommendations from a joint BCS/BCIS/SCTS working group.
abstract: The decision-making process in the management of patients with ischaemic heart disease has historically been the responsibility of the cardiologist and encompasses medical management, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). Currently, there is significant geographical variability in the PCI:CABG ratio. There are now emerging recommendations that this decision-making process should be carried out through a multidisciplinary approach, namely the Heart Team. This work was carried out on behalf of The British Cardiovascular Society (BCS), Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery in Great Britain and Ireland (SCTS) and British Cardiovascular Intervention Society (BCIS). This manuscript sets out the principles for the functioning of the Heart Team. This work has been approved by the Executive Committees of BCS/BCIS/SCTS.
authors.affiliation: Heart and Lung Centre, Wolverhampton, UK heymanluckraz@aol.com.
authors.forename: Heyman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Luckraz
authors.affiliation: Heart and Lung Centre, Wolverhampton, UK.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Norell
authors.affiliation: University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Mamta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buch
authors.affiliation: Sussex Cardiac Centre, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, Brighton, UK.
authors.forename: Rachael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: James
authors.affiliation: Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cooper
mesh_terms: D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000592:standards*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D062645:Percutaneous Coronary Intervention / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000592:standards; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: Guidelines; Heart-team meeting; Ischaemic heart disease