Newswise — CHICAGO—The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) today officially announced the public launch of its patient website, ctsurgerypatients.org, which offers immediate and easy access to expert, multimedia content on heart, lung, and esophageal diseases and operations. This patient-centric resource enables visitors to be active, informed participants in their diagnoses and treatments.
The new website supports patients and their families as they navigate through the cardiothoracic surgery experience, allowing them to research their conditions, as well as gather valuable information regarding treatment options so that they are better informed when meeting with their health care providers.
"We designed the website with patients in mind so they can be informed participants in their health care decisions,” said Robbin G. Cohen, MD, MMM, Medical Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, CA, and Associate Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Southern California. “The STS patient website puts the power of information at the fingertips of patients, giving them a more complete picture of what they can expect.”
The comprehensive content, organized in a clean, simple design with a clear menu bar for easy navigation, includes descriptions, pictures, illustrations, and videos covering the most common cardiothoracic surgery topics. Each page was reviewed by a member of the STS Patient Education Task Force. The main categories include:
• Adult Heart Disease; • Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease; • Lung, Esophageal, and Other Chest Diseases; • Heart and Lung Transplantation; and • Before, During, and After Surgery.
More than 30 pages are within these sections covering the most commonly encountered diseases, with details on causes, symptoms, diagnostic tests, treatment options, and recovery. Most pages also include “Questions for Your Doctor,” available in PDF format, making it convenient for patients to print before a doctor’s visit. The “What Is a Cardiothoracic Surgeon?” section features a video of four STS members offering insight into their profession and the role they play on the health care team. The content included on ctsurgerypatients.org is available in English and Spanish, and easily navigated by smartphone, tablet, or personal computer.
“Our hope is that ctsurgerypatients.org presents patients with a user-friendly online experience and helps them move seamlessly between learning and planning,” said Dr. Cohen. “We are confident that the site will make patients and their families more knowledgeable and, hence, more comfortable as they weigh their options regarding surgery of the chest.”
Patients can find additional in-depth information related to heart and lung surgery in special sections such as Resources, News & Trending Topics, monthly Health Awareness, and a Blog authored by Dr. Cohen and other surgeon contributors. The blog will feature a wide variety of topics and discussions that address the questions most frequently asked by patients when they meet with cardiothoracic surgeons.
The STS patient website will continue to evolve with the same level of excellence that STS members and patients have come to expect from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. The site will be updated regularly with new topics, graphics, and videos to ensure that patients affected by heart, lung, and esophageal diseases can find the most current information on the latest medical developments.
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For more information, contact Jennifer Bagley at 312-202-5865 or [email protected].
Founded in 1964, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is a not-for-profit organization representing more than 7,300 cardiothoracic surgeons, researchers, and allied health care professionals worldwide who are dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for surgeries of the heart, lung, and esophagus, as well as other surgical procedures within the chest. The Society’s mission is to enhance the ability of cardiothoracic surgeons to provide the highest quality patient care through education, research, and advocacy.
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