Our Team
- Department of Transplantation
415-600-1000 - Heart Failure and Transplant Program
415-600-1050
Our emphasis is on personalized total patient care, stressing not only medical concerns but also family issues that may arise when a loved one is gravely ill. We are committed to providing the best care possible and work closely with referring physicians, involving patients, and families in care decisions, for quick and successful patient recovery.
Psychologist 415-600-1050 | Physician Assistants & Advance Practice Nurse | Heart Failure/Heart Transplant Nurse Coordinators | Social Worker | TCCU Nursing Staff Nurse | Dietitian 415-600-1050 | Physical/Occupational Therapy | Cardiac Rehabilitation | Financial Coordinator | Other Team Members
Psychologist 415-600-1050
It is not uncommon for heart transplant and VAD patients as well as their families to have difficulty dealing with hospitalization and/or illness. Patients may experience anxiety, panic, depression, or other symptoms of emotional distress. Pain management may be problematic. Financial and legal issues, the fear of death, interruption of life plans, and the anxiety of waiting for a donor organ can be overwhelming. Our psychologist is a key member of the transplant team, acting as a liaison with interdisciplinary staff, helping patients and their families from their initial evaluation through pre- and post-transplantation providing ongoing follow-up care as appropriate. Referrals to an on-site psychiatrist for adjunctive pharmacologic treatment are readily available.
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Physician Assistants & Advance Practice Nurse
Working under the direction of the heart failure and transplantation medical staff, the physician assistant and advance practice nurse are integral members of our healthcare team. They provide pre- and post-operative patient care, working side-by-side with physicians taking medical histories, examining, and treating patients. In addition to these duties they also assist in the operating room during organ retrieval and transplantation.
Physician Assistant: Jan O'Dea, P.A.
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Heart Failure/Heart Transplant Nurse Coordinators
415-600-1050
The Heart Failure/Heart Transplant Nurse Coordinators work with pre- and post-transplant patients as well as heart failure, pulmonary hypertensive and ventricular assist device patients. They coordinate care while the patient is in the hospital and through the outpatient Heart Failure/Heart Transplant Clinic. The nurses provide education about tests and procedures, medications and the plan of care that is guided by the Heart Failure/Heart Transplant Physicians.
Dolores Miniaci, R.N.
Email Dolores Miniaci, R.N.
Pam Marks, R.N.
Email Pam Marks, R.N.
Sheila McDonagh, R.N.
Email Sheila McDonagh, R.N.
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Social Worker
Providing a full range of social work services to patients and families, from the evaluation process through all phases of transplant, Joyce assists both in- and outpatients. She is available for emotional support and assistance with housing, transportation and financial issues. Joyce also facilitates two heart transplant support groups per month, one in San Francisco at California Pacific Medical Center and one in Redding, California.
Joyce Toohey, LCSW
415-600-1056
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TCCU Nursing Staff Nurse
California Pacific Medical Center’s Transitional Cardiac Care Unit (TCCU) is a special hospital unit serving heart failure patients awaiting transplant. Staffed by dedicated nurses specially trained in caring for end-stage heart-failure patients, this intimate 5-bed nursing unit cares for patients being sustained through medication management or those living with ventricular assist devices (VAD). The TCCU was developed with the long-term hospital stay in mind bringing together heart failure patients and their families in a cozy home-like environment including a "family room" with computer for Internet access, exercise equipment, television and sofa to congregate. All rooms in the TCCU are private and patients are encouraged to bring personal items from home to help, what can sometimes be a long wait, more comfortable. The TCCU nurses are responsible for coordinating the efforts of all caregivers. Since nurses spend the greatest amount of time with patients while in-house, they are in the unique position to evaluate each patient daily, meeting immediate needs and act as a link among the various transplant team members.
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Dietitian 415-600-1050
Good nutrition is an important part of health. Our registered dietitian evaluates patients’ nutritional status before and after transplantation. Maintaining a good nutritional status pre- and post-transplant can improve strength and energy levels, decrease some treatment and medication related side effects, help maintain a healthy weight, decrease risk for post surgical infection, and also promote healing. Our dietitian evaluates each individual, reviewing their current diet and its appropriateness, assessing calorie, protein, and fluid requirements, as well as identifying vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Appropriate diet recommendations may include meal plans, vitamin, mineral and nutritional supplements, and diet modifications if appetite is poor or patients are putting on weight. Prior to discharge, the dietitian is available for nutrition information and counseling assisting patients with the transition from hospital to home.
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Physical/Occupational Therapy
After transplant surgery patients receive in-house physical and occupational therapy, as well as cardiac rehabilitation. The in-house physical therapist instructs patients on the proper methods of getting in and out of bed, provides instructions on diaphragmatic breathing, and initiates a progressive exercise program. The in-house occupational therapist instructs patients on daily living activities.
Physical Therapy:
- Treadmill conditioning to minimize the pre-operative deconditioning effects of bed rest.
- Pre-operative in-house walking program, patients can continue after transplant and after discharge reinforcing a habit of regular exercise.
- Post-operative instruction in sternal precautions and exercise intensity self-monitoring education.
- Post-operative energy conservation for daily living activities, such as bathing, dressing, and toileting.
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Cardiac Rehabilitation
Starting while patients are in-house and continuing after discharge, cardiac rehabilitation provides individualized treatment plans and exercise programs monitored by registered nurses and exercise physiologists, as well as heart health education. Patients participate in cardiac rehabilitation to:
- Learn safe exercise methods to improve strength and resume normal activities.
- Learn heart healthy food choices and help with meal planning.
- Reduce stress levels and increase confidence through support and motivation.
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Financial Coordinator
Ana Chacon
415-600-1008
Email Ana Chacon
As a liaison with patients' insurance carriers, Anaworks to obtain financial approval for patients who are undergoing a heart transplant work up and surgery.
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Other Team Members
The Heart Failure & Transplant Program at California Pacific Medical Center provides a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to patient care. Our focus is on providing personal attention and managing the entire process, from initial evaluation to post-transplant follow up, to an excellent outcome. Some of the other team members who are critical to the successful outcomes experienced at California Pacific are:
- Anesthesiologists
- Pharmacists
- Radiologist
- Support staff
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