Geriatric and Palliative Care Specialists As Valued Members of the Multidisciplinary Heart Team

Clinicians with expertise in geriatrics and palliative care are currently not part of the minimal requirements of the multidisciplinary heart team (MDHT) focused on enhancing care of patients with structural heart disease (SHD).1,2 Although the concept of palliation is embedded in the consciousness of the cardiovascular team, and the incorporation of primary and secondary palliative care expertise has gained momentum, current guidelines1 and expert consensus2 documents have not formalized the role that geriatric and palliative care specialists can play in the MDHT.