Expertise and exceptional care are just two of the reasons that Phillip is grateful that he chose the University of Tennessee Medical Center to treat the heart valve disease that was detected during a routine check-up.
“I’ve chosen UT Medical Center for my health services for the past 28 years and used to work there, so I have always felt very confident with the care I have received,” says Phillip. “During a regular checkup it was discovered my heartbeat sounded abnormal. After additional tests it was determined that I needed a heart valve replacement.” he added. “I was very concerned and scared, but Drs. Tjuan Overly and Raymond Dieter and their staffs were awesome. They explained how everything would go, and they were responsive to my concerns and provided compassionate care. I was scared of the unknown, but someone was always available to talk to me, and that was appreciated so much.” He is now several months out from treatment and back to enjoying time with his family and their dogs.
As many as 11 million Americans have heart valve disease (HVD) – a potentially disabling and deadly disease – yet three out of four Americans know little to nothing about it. Phillip encourages all of us to maintain regular screenings for early detection of HVD. “Sometimes fear can cause us to not do anything,” he says, “but try to be strong and face it head on. The doctors and coordinators will help you through.”