Adanna C Akujuo, MD, is a coronary heart surgeon who treats sufferers with coronary heart valve, coronary heart rhythm, and coronary heart artery points. She can also be the surgical director of UVA Well being’s structural coronary heart program and vice chair of
variety, fairness, and inclusion for UVA Well being’s division of surgical procedure.
Akujuo is devoted to serving to sufferers really feel comfy and listened to, and believes in treating her sufferers with the identical degree of care she would give to a member of the family. «I will be devoted to taking good care of them previous to their process, via their process, and after their process, as I might count on any member of my household to be taken care of,» she says.
Meet This Charlotteville-Based mostly Coronary heart Surgeon
We requested Akujuo our 7 fast inquiries to get to know her higher.
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1. What has most impressed and formed your method to affected person care?
What has impressed and formed my method to affected person care is witnessing how folks from deprived neighborhoods generally get handled disproportionately in healthcare, and as well as, seeing the concern that each one folks are available in with once they have coronary heart illness.
I consider that it’s my obligation not simply to be a surgeon and function technically, however to additionally deal with the entire emotional features that include present process coronary heart surgical procedure. Not solely taking good care of the sufferers but in addition attempting to consolation their members of the family as nicely, as a result of they undergo this tough course of with the sufferers. So, it is my job not solely to be a surgeon for them, however to reassure them, to coach them, to advocate for them, and to ensure that they get the very best care whereas they’re underneath my care.
2. What’s your favourite a part of your job?
The favourite a part of my job is taking good care of somebody who’s extraordinarily in poor health and in misery and having them stroll into my workplace a month later with an enormous smile on their face and comfortable concerning the high quality of life that they now have.
3. What’s your largest concern if you’re a affected person?
As a affected person, I consider that my largest phobia or concern is that no matter process I endure is not going to achieve success or that my high quality of life won’t ever be what I need it to be.
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4. What do you do for stress reduction?
For stress reduction, I am a runner. I attempt to run each morning. It’s a little tough, however working and hearken to music is a method that I chill out and recover from stress.
5. Canines or cats?
I’ve at all times grown up with cats. I’ve neither now, however I grew up with cats.
6. Final film you noticed? Thumbs up or down?
I do not bear in mind the final time I went to the movie show. Mission Unimaginable was the final film I noticed. I believe it was Mission Unimaginable II and it was neither thumbs up nor a thumbs down, sort of a halfway.
7. Greatest recommendation you’ve got ever heard?
The perfect recommendation that I’ve ever heard was earlier than you react, take a deep breath, take a second, give it some thought, take a step away if it’s essential to, after which give it your finest response.
Second finest is to at all times search the steerage of those that’ve come earlier than you and have paved the way in which as a result of they’ll information you.