What is quality of life?
Quality of life (QOL) is a term that describes your overall sense of well-being. It includes the way you feel about:
- Your physical and mental health.
- Your personal relationships.
- Your social life.
- How fulfilled you feel.
- Your involvement in the community.
Why does QOL matter?
Your health has an impact on your QOL, and your QOL has an impact on your health. Your healthcare team is interested in your QOL so they can understand how you feel. If your QOL score is low, they can work with you to figure out ways to help you feel better.
What is a QOL assessment?
There are different questionnaires designed to score your QOL. All of them are based on your answers and feelings. There are no wrong answers, and the score depends on the questionnaire that is used.
When is QOL assessed?
As a patient in Cleveland Clinic’s Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute, we will ask you to complete a QOL-related questionnaire before and after your surgery. The questionnaire is a combination of two QOL questionnaires (PROMIS 10 and MacNew).
We are also interested in your long-term QOL. We will send you questionnaires from time to time to find out how you are doing in the years following your surgery. These may be sent through MyChart or the mail.
Your scores will help your healthcare team guide your care and help improve your QOL. The information is strictly confidential and will not be shared outside of Cleveland Clinic.
If you have any questions or concerns about QOL or the questionnaire, please let us know.
