Patient Experiences: Left Ventricular Assist Devices

Brief: Explore patient experiences of living with heart failure and day-to-day living with Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) and their acceptance of device features

Countries: United States

Methodology: Qualitative: In-depth interviews with heart failure and diverse LVAD recipients at various stages pre- and post-implantation

The research explored:

• Comprehensive discussions with LVAD patients to understand their journey, daily challenges, and the terminology they use to describe their experiences with the device

• Investigation of patient information needs, knowledge gaps, and emotional responses at different points in the LVAD journey from pre-implantation to long-term management

• Test trade-offs in acceptance of Quality Of Life benefits versus acceptance of LVAD device features

Outcome: Clear guidance on the trade-offs patients are willing to make in accepting device features versus their Quality Of Life benefit.