Issue link: https://blog.providence.org/i/1470105
2 | Health Matters: Providence Mission Hospital Fixing Heart Valves with TAVR Leslie Moore cherished her daily three-mile walks by the beach in Dana Point. However, over time, her walks became increasingly challenging as she struggled to catch her breath on the hills and stairs. It wasn't until she fainted one day while walking up a hill that she recognized something was clearly wrong. That's when Moore discovered the structural heart program at Providence Mission Hospital and wondered if her fatigue and shortness of breath could be solved by transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), a minimally invasive procedure to help people with aortic stenosis. Shortly after meeting interventional cardiologist Sanjay Bhojraj, MD, Moore learned that her heart valve was damaged from the mantle field radiation she received as a child to treat Hodgkin's lymphoma. The good news was that a TAVR procedure would replace the damaged valve. "Once I met Dr. Bhojraj and his amazing team, I was eager to get the procedure," she says. On May 5, 2021, Dr. Bhojraj implanted the new valve, and Moore was discharged the following morning. "I can't tell you how good I feel," she says. "Many people don't realize that their shortness of breath or lack of energy could come from heart valve disease, which can be found by their doctor listening for a heart mumur," Dr. Bhojraj says. You can learn more about TAVR at Providence Mission Hospital by tuning in to a webinar on July 5 at 12 noon. Letter to the Community Dear Mission family, I have great news to share: Newsweek has once again recognized Providence Mission Hospital as the No. 1 hospital in all of Orange County. This is the second consecutive time we've been honored with this esteemed No. 1 recognition. Across the state of California, Mission Hospital is ranked No. 14, and we are included in the top 100 distinguished hospitals across the United States. To add some perspective, there are approximately 340 hospitals in California and nearly 6,200 in the United States. Everyone likes receiving awards, but what does this mean to our patients and community? It means that Mission Hospital provides the safest, most exceptional high-quality care in the region and that our patients report their hospital experiences are outstanding. Newsweek uses three very important criteria to evaluate hospitals: patient satisfaction surveys, patient safety data and quality-of-treatment measures. We believe that these standards—quality, safety and patient experience, along with engagement of our caregivers and physicians—are so important that they serve as our guiding principles for everything we do. This prestigious recognition is a testament to the dedication of our caregivers, physicians and volunteers, and their commitment to providing the highest level of excellence and compassion to our community. It's also a reflection of the unparalleled support we receive from our community. Thank you for trusting Mission Hospital to be your No. 1 partner in health. Seth R. Teigen, FACHE, Chief Executive Providence Mission Hospital Dr. Sanjay Bhojraj Leslie Moore, with grandson Vince, received the minimally invasive TAVR procedure for a damaged heart valve.