WHITEGLOVEMD
PATIENT CONVERSATION GUIDE 01—05
5 Questions to Ask Your Cardiac Surgeon
Risk. Experience. Alternatives. Complications. Heart Team review.
EDUCATIONAL GUIDEWHITEGLOVEMD.COM
FREE PATIENT GUIDE
Five questions to ask before heart surgery.
A diagnosis can arrive with a plan, a date, and very little time to process either. Take these questions into your next consultation and leave with a clearer picture of the decision in front of you.
5focused questionsFreedelivered by email0records required
THE QUESTIONS BEHIND THE DECISION
Not more information. Better questions.
Each question is designed to move the conversation from a general recommendation to the evidence, experience, options, and uncertainty that matter in your individual case.
What is my STS Predicted Risk of Mortality?
Ask for the estimate and the inputs used to calculate it. A risk number is most useful when the underlying information is complete and current.
LISTEN FORWhat information was used—and is anything missing?
How often do you perform this exact procedure?
Ask about experience with the operation you are considering, not cardiac surgery in general. When available, ask to see procedure-specific public outcomes too.
LISTEN FORHow do your program’s results compare with public benchmarks?
What reasonable alternatives apply to my case?
Ask which open surgical, minimally invasive, catheter-based, and medical paths are relevant—and why one path is being proposed over the others.
LISTEN FORWhat would make another option more or less appropriate for me?
What are the major risks beyond survival?
Ask about the complications that matter to recovery and quality of life, including stroke, kidney injury, infection, reoperation, and prolonged ventilation.
LISTEN FORWhich risks are most important in my individual case?
Has a cardiac surgeon and cardiologist reviewed this together?
When more than one path may be reasonable, the operating-room and cardiology perspectives can frame the decision differently. Ask how both views were considered.
LISTEN FORWhere do the two specialists agree—and where is there uncertainty?
A MORE USEFUL CONVERSATION
Leave with more than a yes or no.
The goal is not to challenge your treating team. It is to understand how the proposed plan fits your anatomy, risk, preferences, and alternatives.
Know what is established.
Separate confirmed findings from assumptions, incomplete testing, and unanswered questions.
Know what is comparable.
Ask how reasonable options differ in invasiveness, durability, recovery, and future choices.
Know what comes next.
Leave with a concise list of follow-up questions for your surgeon, cardiologist, and family.
YOUR INCISION SHOULD BE YOUR DECISION™
Bring a clearer starting point into the room.
Request the guide now and keep the five questions on hand for your next cardiac surgery conversation.
Created for patients and families.Plain language, focused prompts, and no medical jargon required.
WHEN QUESTIONS ARE NOT ENOUGH
Your own case deserves its own review.
A WHITEGLOVE Heart Team review brings an independent cardiac surgeon and cardiologist to the same record, then returns one co-signed written report for your next conversation.
ABOUT THE GUIDE
What patients ask before requesting it.
Who is this heart surgery question guide for?
It is designed for patients and families preparing for a conversation about bypass surgery, valve surgery, aortic surgery, or another major heart procedure. It can be used before a first consultation or while considering a second opinion.
Do I need a referral or medical records to request it?
No. The guide is delivered by email and does not require a referral, medical records, or a purchase.
Does the guide tell me whether I should have surgery?
No. It helps you prepare better questions for your treating team. It is educational and does not diagnose, recommend treatment, or replace medical advice from clinicians who know your case.
What if I want an independent review of my own records?
WHITEGLOVEMD offers a separate, paid review in which a cardiac surgeon and cardiologist independently review the complete record and co-sign a written report. You may compare review options or request a complimentary orientation call.