{"id":31764,"date":"2020-05-21T12:05:08","date_gmt":"2020-05-21T17:05:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/?p=31764"},"modified":"2021-01-03T11:34:16","modified_gmt":"2021-01-03T16:34:16","slug":"covid-cardiac-appointments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/2020\/05\/21\/covid-cardiac-appointments\/","title":{"rendered":"A Safe “New Normal” for Cardiac Surgical Appointments during COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":"

As Lao Tzu, a Chinese philosopher, once said, \u201cLife is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, COVID-19 is now our unexpected reality.\u00a0 At times, that is hard to accept.\u00a0 At times, it’s challenging not to think back to the way it was.\u00a0 At times, I wonder if Lao Tzu lived through a pandemic.\u00a0 Regardless, we must move forward. We must evolve.<\/p>\n

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\"NursePatient Being Examined During COVID-19 (Northwestern Medicine)<\/p>\n

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Thankfully… This new reality is being managed by courageous medical professionals who are planning and implementing new safeguards and protocols to prevent COVID-19 infections for patients that need cardiac treatment.\u00a0 For, as we know, cardiac disease – especially fatal valvular disorders including aortic stenosis and mitral regurgitation –\u00a0 will progress with or without a COVID-19 vaccine.<\/p>\n

In a positive way, I was reminded of change and our COVID-19 reality this morning.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

I received an email from The Department of Surgery at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City.\u00a0 As you may recall, Dr. Craig Smith and his extraordinary team has been in a 100-round heavyweight fight with COVID-19 since the pandemic enveloped New York City. You can learn more here.<\/a><\/p>\n

In this email to patients and their families, the Columbia Surgery Team addressed the “new normal” for healthcare.\u00a0 Specifically, the email identifies several\u00a0measures taken by Columbia to ensure patient safety at cardiac surgical appointments during this coronavirus crisis. From telemedicine to facial protection to re-configured waiting rooms to temperature check-points, Columbia – like many cardiac centers – is taking transformative steps to support cardiac patients that need treatment now.<\/p>\n

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\"Columbia<\/p>\n

I want to thank the Columbia Surgery Team<\/a> for sharing this email with me.\u00a0 It was comforting to see how Columbia is communicating with their patients, implementing new processes to protect patients, and managing patient expectations during cardiac surgical appointments. \u00a0To learn more, you can read this post at the Columbia website, “Here’s What You Need To Know Before Your Surgical Appointment”<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It should be noted that Columbia is not alone in making substantial changes and investments for patient protection during the COVID-19 pandemic.\u00a0 Over the past few weeks, I have spoke with many cardiac centers that are focusing on your protection, focusing on your care, and focusing on the best ways to fix your heart safely.<\/p>\n

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