Subiaco TAVI patients receive personalised care

2 May 2019

TAVI Coordinator Rob Lampard (centre) gives care and support to patients from the moment they are diagnosed. This care makes all the difference, according to Interventional Cardiologist Dr Eric Yamen (left) and Cardiothoracic Surgeon A/Prof Jurgen Passage (right)

2 May 2019 

Our TAVI Care Coordinator Rob Lampard has many years’ experience as a Clinical Nurse caring for cardiology patients – and he also has a passion to see that his patients receive the very best of care.

Rob ensures his patients receive all the support they need, both before and after the procedure, and he even greets them in theatre.

His support starts with a call to the patient as soon as they have been referred to their TAVI specialist; he talks them through the process so they know what to expect.

The St John of God Subiaco Hospital team recently performed its 50^th TAVI case. The highly experienced team is led by Interventional Cardiologists Dr Eric Yamen and Dr Michael Muhlmann, and Cardiothoracic Surgeon A/Professor Jurgen Passage.

TAVI is performed on patients suffering from the breathlessness, chest pain, fatigue and dizziness that accompanies aortic stenosis.

TAVI patients are mainly elderly, with our oldest to date being 95 years of age.

Rob assesses their health and is part of the multidisciplinary team which considers their suitability for the procedure.

“I find out about their home situation, their independence, their medical history and whether there are any specific health risks or medications we need to consider to prepare them for the procedure,” he said.

“The patients book into hospital through the usual processes, but TAVI is slightly more complex than some other procedures so I have a bit more contact to make sure they know what to bring and to ensure there is no confusion.”

Rob checks in on them during their hospital stay and regularly contacts them over the following months.

The patients and their families can call Rob at any time if they have concerns and he also checks their progress with a “quality of life” questionnaire, which is entered into a national TAVI database.

A/Prof Passage said Rob’s attention to the patients’ needs is exceptional.

“Having a TAVI coordinator of Rob’s quality has strengthened our program tremendously and ensures that our patients experience minimal stress,” he said.

“He gets to know our patients so well and that is what makes a difference. Even after discharge, they know that they can call him at any time, and this reduces their anxiety and improves recovery.”

St John of God Subiaco Hospital Chief Executive Prof Shirley Bowen said the hospital was a centre of excellence in the treatment of structural heart disease.

“Our hospital’s experienced team of dedicated doctors, nurses and allied health professionals provide patients the latest in cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, coronary care and cardiac rehabilitation,” she said.

“TAVI is an integral part of this service and a way that we can provide high quality care to members of our community who are not well enough for standard cardiology procedures.”

The St John of God Subiaco Hospital TAVI team: Zuzie Rivers, Dr Michael Muhlmann, A/Prof Jurgen Passage, Dr Chait Tak, Rob Lampard, Dr Eric Yamen, Andrew Hartley, Danielle McTaggart, Nitin Londhe and Carla Scarfo.