Susan Timms - Shared decision-making shouldn't work this way - EP 16

Susan Timms' family had a history of heart problems, so she long worried that she would face cardiovascular issues. It is surprising, therefore, that when she started to suffer heart palpitations in her 50s, she was told there was nothing wrong with her. She was not checked with a stethoscope nor given an echo. It all came to a head when she was rushed to hospital for an emergency admission. It now became clear that she had an aortic valve problem and would need the valve replaced. She was 79-years-old by the time the replacement was needed. This is an age when the minimally invasive procedure, TAVI is the preferred and recommended approach. With TAVI, she could have left hospital within days and the recovery for this committed volunteer would have been around 2 weeks. However, Susan was never told about this option. She was referred for surgery and was told that her choice was only between a tissue or mechanical valve. For Susan, the recovery was long, painful and with many setbacks. It was 13 months before she felt she was fully recovered. By this time, she was in contact with other patients through Heart Valve Voice. When they asked why she had not received a TAVI, her immediate reply was "What's TAVI?". This is a classic example of how shared decision-making shouldn't work. Susan was not fully informed of all the options open to her; in particular the option that was best for her. Furthermore, the treating physicians could have put her in contact with Heart Valve Voice so that she get a perspective from other patients. Happily, Susan is well again and has resumed her volunteering and caring for her grandchildren. However, her experience could and should have been much better. __________ Ready to transform how your patients see healthcare? At Sagesse Healthcare Consulting, we put the patient’s story at the heart of everything we do. Find out more at ➡️ https://sagessehealthcare.com __________ Follow/Connect: LinkedIn:   / michaelhgeorge   Instagram:   / pioneeringpatientpodcast   Facebook:   / michael.george.92798072   __________ LIKE. SHARE. SUBSCRIBE. Give this video a thumbs up if you enjoyed watching 👍 #patient #stories #healthcare Thanks for watching the video Susan Timms - Shared decision-making shouldn't work this way - EP 16