Kim's Guestbook

I chose my surgeon, Dr. Svensson, due to his credentials and since he is a pioneer in the minimally invasive surgery and sent all the paperwork over to his office for record review. His office contacted me within a week to make an appt to meet him, a cardiologist, and to get repeat imaging which included CT, EKG, CXR, and 2D ECHO. Unfortunately i needed surgery sooner then anticipated and i returned 2 months later (I was waiting for summer due to work schedule) for him to perform my surgery. I have no regrets with my choice and would go back to him if i needed any further heart surgery. I hope that answers your questions. Feel free to contact me with any other Qs.

I sent my paperwork to Cleveland (did aortic valve replacement two weeks to the day today--due to bicuspid aortic valve) and they assigned a doctor. I got Dr. Douglas Johnston who was outstanding. First make sure they have all your paperwork. A program administrator checks to make sure you have sent everything. A few days later a cardiac nurse will call you once the doctor has reviewed the file. I was happy with anybody I would get with Cleveland because they were the best in the world. Two local surgeons told me I didn't need to go there because I was not high risk. I said I am going there precisely because they see high risk people all the time. If you get Johnston, I wholeheartedly refer him. Adam Pick, the founder of this board, knows him and he put me in touch with him prior to me making my decision. Otherwise, you would meet the surgeon the day before the surgery. Read my review on Dr. Johnston. You have to believe in the Cleveland Clinic system, that is they are the best in the world because they have a process. I can say I was very happy thus far (two weeks afterwards). The rest remains a prologue. I was so impressed with them that when I posted my picture on Facebook, my tag for Dr. Johnston and Cleveland Clinic was #bestintheworldforareason. Meaning there is a reason they are number in Cardiac Care for 21 straight years in the US by extension, the World. Basically, my motto was if you need heart surgery you go to Cleveland; if you need special forces you get Seal Team 6. In short, this is what they do as a team--but you have to believe in their team approach i.e. each person has their part so you may not get as much face time with the surgeon. But yes, worst case you will meet them the day before surgery and best case, Adam Pick will know the surgeon.

Thanks Kim and Sonny!!! Your kind answer means a lot to me. BTW, how are you maintaining contact with the surgeon after you come back home? I would guess there will be times that you want to ask questions directly to the surgeon who touched your heart after the surgery.. Also, I read it's usual to schedule a post surgery check-up appointment with the surgeon after 1 month. How many trips does a patient need to make back to CC after the surgery? Did you feel it was quite safe to take a flight after the surgery? Thanks, and here goes my prayer for your eventless recovery.

Inh Kim, I sent a thank you note to Dr. Johnston and he responded to my email saying to let him know off any follow up issues. He also stopped by my hospital room after a full day of surgery to personally check on me. I can't say that is the norm per se at Cleveland Clinic but it was a nice personal touch on his part. They have a toll free number where the cardiac nurse triages the issue. You also follow up with your primary care physician to check on basic stuff like wound healing etc. If you really want to talk to the doctor, I am sure they will oblige but honestly, despite Dr. Johnston's kind gestures, I haven't felt the need. My mother is a physician and she was pushing me to use a local surgeon because of follow up. My uncle, a cardiologist, also suggested the same. When I was done with Cleveland, they both changed their tune very quickly. As my uncle said, there is not a better place in the world you can go to. He quickly started deferring to their advice at Cleveland, something he was not doing with the local cardiologists. I am going back to Cleveland for a 5-6 week check up but that is with the Cardiologist, who met with up there, Dr. Stephens, and really liked as well. To be clear that is an option not an obligation. I chose to do that because the local cardiologist's echocardiogram technician was not as detailed or thorough as Cleveland. Dr. Stephens was thinking of many more angles than the local cardiologist. They have an optional two day check up with a nurse practicioner two days after hospital discharge. This again is an option, but recommended for out of town guests. I waited for that and would recommend the same. Long story short, you won't need follow up with the surgeon generally as the check ins will be with others. Dr. Johnston did tell me the biggest thing they need to adjust is medications post-op e.g. they put me on a beta blocker which they upped the dosage of during the hospital stay. So basically, you don't ever have to go back to Cleveland again but given the service I received, I am choosing to go back to handle my other cardiological needs. My uncle that is a cardiologist said that doctors in LA that needed heart surgery that he knows went to Cleveland Clinic for their procedures. You should have seen me with my Mom--after the procedure I was like so you still think I should have gone locally. She was like no way. She saw that they were on a whole different level. As I told Dr. Johnston, it was like NFL football versus High school Football back home. I saw that first hand with the echo technicians. They have the research to back up their conclusions. If you can afford the hotel stay, there is no doubt in my mind whether somebody should go to Cleveland. The only complication was the inability to come home sooner i.e. sleeping in my own bed (or I should say recliner as you will not be able to sleep in a bed for a week at least if my experience is any indication). Anything else feel free to call me. My personal email is washingtondclawyer@yahoo.com. If you email me there, I will give you personal cell.

My surgeon said he didnt have to see me again unless i had problems and i was given a phone number to call if i had any questions or issues as well since you will have some new sensations in your chest after surgery. I also stayed about a week extra in a close hotel after i got out of the hospital and met with the nurse for an outpatient check up to make sure there were no hitches since i live in Florida. No issues flying back home- just move your legs/walk around every hour to avoid blood clots. The surgeon told me to f/u with cardiologist and pcp at home and gave me the name of a cardiologist at CC in Westin, FL that trained under him if i chose to see them which i will yearly from now on (i was previously a Shands hospital patient).

I am debating if I should see a cardiologist in Canton, Ohio or just go to Cleveland Clinic an hour away. After reading all these comments I guess I really shouldn't debate it. I already go to the Cleveland Clinic for my rheumatologist. But my insurance doesn't like to pay out of network so I thought I would see what the cardiologist in my area said first. I have to rethink it now. You all have such high praise for the clinic. My niece had a heart transplant done there twice once when she was two and once again last December when she was 13. I knew they were awesome for her. I really should think about it more.