Navigating Your Time with the Valvular & Structural Team
You have been referred to a Sands-Constellation Heart Institute physician to see if the WATCHMAN device is right for you. The days and weeks leading up to the meeting with a new provider may seem daunting, which is why we have a Nurse Navigator on staff who will help guide you through the process.
What Does a Nurse Navigator Do?
Our Nurse Navigator and WATCHMAN Program Coordinator is Grant Seaman, who will help guide your care. Working with your medical providers, Grant will review your chart to ensure you are a good fit for the program and coordinate your next steps.
Grant will conduct a patient education session with you prior to your consultation with a physician. This visit will give you a solid foundation of information for when you meet with your doctor. Throughout this process, Grant and the scheduling team will ensure the necessary appointments are coordinated with your busy schedule because we know your time is valuable.
Grant will be your point-person every step of the way through your journey with the WATCHMAN procedure.
Grant enjoys developing excellent relationships with patients/families and helping them navigate seamlessly through the process of obtaining a WATCHMAN device. He looks forward to working with you!
Frequently Asked Questions
The WATCHMAN device does not wear out. It is a one-time procedure that lasts a lifetime and rarely would need any future procedures.
There are no incisions with the procedure. Thus, most people will have no scarring.
Following the WATCHMAN procedure, you typically will be on a blood thinner for a short period of time (45 days to 3 months). The goal of the WATCHMAN is to eliminate the need for a blood thinner but still protect you from stroke for the rest of your life.
About the WATCHMAN Program
The WATCHMAN Program at Rochester Regional Health is led by Jeremiah P. Depta, MD, MPHS, FACC, FSCAI, and a team of Electrophysiologists (Dr. Abrar Shah, Dr. Dmitry Chuprun, and Dr. Mohan Rao), physician assistants, nurse practitioners, surgical coordinators, and nurse navigator. It was the first program in the nation to provide same-day discharge for WATCHMAN patients and is recognized as a national leader in performing the procedure.