1. Establishment of a transcatheter aortic valve program and heart valve team at a Veterans Affairs facility.
- Author
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Bakaeen FG, Kar B, Chu D, Cornwell LD, Blaustein A, Levine GN, Paniagua D, Jneid H, Jensen C, Atluri PV, Bechara CF, Kougias P, Pawlak C, Bozkurt B, Burdon TA, and Carabello BA
- Subjects
- Aortic Valve, Aortic Valve Stenosis economics, Education, Medical, Continuing, Endovascular Procedures economics, Endovascular Procedures instrumentation, Heart Valve Prosthesis, Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation economics, Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation instrumentation, Humans, Program Development economics, Texas, United States, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Aortic Valve Stenosis surgery, Endovascular Procedures methods, Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation methods, Hospitals, Veterans economics, Hospitals, Veterans organization & administration, Patient Care Team organization & administration, Program Development methods
- Abstract
Background: The US Food and Drug Administration recently approved a transcatheter aortic valve for patients for whom open heart surgery is prohibitively risky., Methods: A multidisciplinary heart valve team partnered with administration to launch a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) program. Clinical registries were used to show robust valve caseloads and outcomes at our Veterans Affairs (VA) facility and to project future volumes. A TAVR business plan was approved by the VA leadership as part of a multiphase project to upgrade and expand our surgical facilities., Results: The heart valve team completed a training program that included simulations and visits to established TAVR centers. Patients were evaluated and screened through a streamlined process, and the program was initiated successfully., Conclusions: Establishing a TAVR program at a VA facility requires a multidisciplinary team with experience in heart valve and endovascular therapies and a supportive administration willing to invest in a sophisticated infrastructure., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)
- Published
- 2012
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