Enhanced education to improve aortic stenosis patient pathways: the AortiCare programme
Key result
The AortiCare programme is an educational initiative launched by the ESC and ACNAP to improve aortic stenosis patient pathways and standardize the role of valve clinic coordinators.
Design
Editorial
Authors
Discussion
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Member takes
Implication
The AortiCare programme is a new ESC educational initiative aimed at improving the diagnosis, referral, and management pathways for patients with aortic stenosis.
Key Points
- Address high rates of undertreatment, delayed referrals, and diagnostic gaps in aortic stenosis through a standardized, international educational initiative.
- Developed by the European Society of Cardiology and the Association of Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions, incorporating CME-accredited webinars, an interactive eLearning course, and multimedia toolkits.
- Designed standard frameworks and competency guidelines to formalize the role of valve clinic coordinators within multidisciplinary Heart Teams.
- Addresses a clinical gap where severe aortic stenosis remains untreated in over 40% of patients despite affecting >10% of adults aged 75 years or older.
- Synthesizes emerging evidence comparing transcatheter aortic valve implantation and surgical repair to facilitate tailored clinical pathways and shared decision-making.
- Builds upon evidence from the COORDINATE and BENCHMARK registries showing that structured coordinator roles and standardized practices significantly enhance patient satisfaction and follow-up support.
PICO
P
Population
Aortic stenosis
E
Exposure / Comparator
AortiCare programme
The AortiCare programme is a new ESC educational initiative aimed at improving the diagnosis, referral, and management pathways for patients with aortic stenosis.
Cite This Study
Praz et al. (2025) conducted an editorial in Aortic stenosis. AortiCare programme was evaluated. The AortiCare programme is an educational initiative launched by the ESC and ACNAP to improve aortic stenosis patient pathways and standardize the role of valve clinic coordinators.