[The heart team for coronary artery disease: perspectives from centers with heart surgery on site].

Abstract

The heart team is an important component for guideline-conform treatment of patients with complex coronary artery disease (CAD). Nevertheless, this integrative, multiprofessional approach is not always consistently implemented in clinical practice. This article highlights the role of the heart team, with a particular focus on cardiovascular centers with cardiac surgery on site, presents evidence-based benefits and draws attention to existing structural gaps in daily care, such as the probably widespread use of ad hoc percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in multivessel CAD or the lack of interdisciplinary coordination. Numerous studies have shown that consistently implemented heart team decisions and a culture of professional and evidence-based interaction improve patient outcomes. This article appeals to cardiological and cardiac surgery departments to actively shape the heart team process. The presence of both the heart team and cardiac surgery on site paired with modern possibilities of digital communication tools and the wish for individual treatment recommendations should enable faster heart team decisions (practically ad hoc) to improve patient care.