The case for a specialist multidisciplinary valve clinic

J Heart Valve Dis. 2012 Jan;21(1):1-4.

Abstract

Valve disease is common and is increasing in prevalence as the population ages. The delivery of appropriate management is not always straightforward, and better ways of organizing care are required. Here, the argument is made for a specialist multidisciplinary valve clinic, while a description is provided of the authors' model clinic, which incorporates a specialist cardiologist in addition to sonographers and a nurse who carry out the surveillance services. The clinic is based at a cardiothoracic center and one district hospital, but could be generalized. Previous audits have shown that this model can reduce the number of patients seen by a cardiologist, thus improving the safety and quality of treatment compared to conventional clinics.

MeSH terms

  • Clinical Competence / standards
  • Delivery of Health Care / methods
  • Disease Management
  • Heart Valve Diseases* / diagnosis
  • Heart Valve Diseases* / epidemiology
  • Heart Valve Diseases* / therapy
  • Humans
  • Models, Organizational*
  • Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / organization & administration*
  • Patient Care Team / organization & administration*
  • Practice Patterns, Physicians' / standards
  • Prevalence
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Specialization / standards*