Key result
Although the Heart Team approach is widely recommended for severe aortic stenosis, clear definitions and data supporting its effectiveness are currently lacking.
Why the study?
Despite Class I recommendations and reimbursement requirements for the Heart Team in severe aortic stenosis, a clear definition of the team and data supporting its effectiveness are lacking.
May support heart team use in severe aortic stenosis; leaves open prospective validation of outcome benefits.
Application of a Heart Team approach is now a central concept in the care of patients with severe aortic stenosis. It has Class I recommendations from American and European professional societies and is required for reimbursement for transcatheter aortic valve replacement in the United States. The rationale for changing traditional practice models is to improve patient selection, procedural planning, and management of patients at high or prohibitive surgical risk, thus improving outcomes. Although the concept is intuitive, a clear definition of the Heart Team, and data supporting its effectiveness, are lacking. Other specialties, including oncology, provide a precedent for investigation of the use of a multidisciplinary team and its impact on patient care. We highlight the need for clear definitions and shared metrics to advance our understanding of an optimal Heart Team approach, focusing on patient, clinician, and health system outcomes.
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Coylewright et al. (2015) conducted an editorial in Severe aortic stenosis. Heart Team approach was evaluated. Although the Heart Team approach is widely recommended for severe aortic stenosis, clear definitions and data supporting its effectiveness are currently lacking.
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