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- Schwerzmann, Markus, et al.
(author)
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Recommendations for advance care planning in adults with congenital heart disease: a position paper from the ESC Working Group of Adult Congenital Heart Disease, the Association of Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions (ACNAP), the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC), and the International Society for Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ISACHD).
- 2020
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In: European heart journal. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1522-9645 .- 0195-668X. ; 41:43, s. 4200-4210
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Survival prospects in adults with congenital heart disease (CHD), although improved in recent decades, still remain below expectations for the general population. Patients and their loved ones benefit from preparation for both unexpected and predictable deaths, sometimes preceded by a prolonged period of declining health. Hence, advance care planning (ACP) is an integral part of comprehensive care for adults with CHD. This position paper summarizes evidence regarding benefits of and patients' preferences for ACP and provides practical advice regarding the implementation of ACP processes within clinical adult CHD practice. We suggest that ACP be delivered as a structured process across different stages, with content dependent upon the anticipated disease progression. We acknowledge potential barriers to initiate ACP discussions and emphasize the importance of a sensitive and situation-specific communication style. Conclusions presented in this article reflect agreed expert opinions and include both patient and provider perspectives.
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- Thomet, Corina, et al.
(author)
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Staffing, activities, and infrastructure in 96 specialised adult congenital heart disease clinics in Europe.
- 2019
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In: International journal of cardiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1874-1754 .- 0167-5273. ; 292, s. 100-105
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Clinical guidelines emphasise the need for specialised adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) programmes. In 2014, the working group on Grown-up Congenital Heart Disease of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) published recommendations on the organisation of specialised care for ACHD. To appraise the extent to which these recommendations were being implemented throughout Europe, we assessed the number of patients in active follow-up and available staff resources in European ACHD programmes.We conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional, paper-based survey of specialised ACHD centres in Europe in late 2017 concerning their centre status in 2016. Data from 96 ACHD centres were analysed. We categorised ACHD programmes into seven different centre types based on their staff resources and composition of interdisciplinary teams.Only four centres fulfilled all medical and non-medical staffing requirements of the ESC recommendations. Although 60% of the centres offered all forms of medical care, they had incomplete non-medical resources (i.e., specialised nurses, social workers, or psychologists). The participating centres had 226,506 ACHD patients in active follow-up, with a median of 1500 patients per centre (IQR: 800-3400). Six per cent of the patients were followed up in a centre that lacked a CHD surgeon or congenital interventional cardiologist.A minority of European ACHD centres have the full recommended staff resources available. This suggests that as of 2016 either ACHD care in Europe was still not optimally organised, or that the latest ESC recommendations were not fully implemented in clinical practice.
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- Thomet, Corina, et al.
(author)
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Transfer and transition practices in 96 European adult congenital heart disease centres.
- 2021
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In: International journal of cardiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1874-1754 .- 0167-5273. ; 328, s. 89-95
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Irrespective of initial treatment for congenital heart disease (CHD) in childhood, CHD is a lifelong condition, leaving patients at risk for complications. To support uninterrupted, age- and development-based care for young persons with CHD, guidelines and consensus papers emphasise the need for formal transition programmes, including transfer to adult CHD (ACHD) clinics. Here, we surveyed existing transfer and transition programmes in European ACHD centres. Our aims were to provide a contemporary view of transitional care for patients with CHD and to evaluate progress over the last decade.We conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional survey in 96 ACHD centres in Europe. A specific survey form was developed that sampled the practices of transfer and/or transition. We used a transfer-transition index to quantify adherence to quality indicators of successful transfer and transition.Of the 96 ACHD centres, 40 (41.7%) offered a formal transition, and 85 (88.5%) had structured transfer from paediatric to ACHD care. Although 31% of the centres performed at a 'good' level on the transfer-transition index, only 4 (4.2%) satisfied all criteria. Most centres with a transition programme offered education and support through a dedicated transition specialist, who was a master's-prepared nurse in most centres. A minority of the ACHD centres offered a flexible transition process, starting at least two years before transfer.Nearly half of the included ACHD centres offered a formal transition programme, and almost 90% offered structured transfer. Despite some improvements since 2009, most of the programmes lacked an age- and development-based approach.
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