This department offers
- Pediatric heart transplant program
Our care team
Our team is led by nationally recognized experts with more than 75 years of combined pediatric heart transplant experience. The transplant team is here to help you, your child, and family, and includes pediatric cardiologists, heart transplant surgeons, registered nurses, social workers, transplant assistants and coordinators, pharmacists, dietitians, and other support staff.
Child & family care
We understand how important it is to support the entire family when a child has serious health issues. In addition to focusing on the best care for your child, we have dedicated resources for family support. Our team includes physicians, therapists, child life specialists, teachers, and volunteers that engage your family with therapeutic activities, positive distraction, and social support.
Pediatric to Adult Transition Program
Adolescents and young adults face risk when transferring their care from a pediatric setting to adult care. Children who received a transplant at a very young age may not have a good understanding of their chronic condition and may be more dependent upon the adults in their lives for care. The goal of our transition program is to prepare these adolescents, young adults, and caretakers for a successful transfer to adult care. Completing our transition program helps your child achieve health empowerment and optimizes their independence to provide self-care to the best of their ability.
Excellent outcomes
Recognition and accreditation
Our hospital has long been recognized for excellence in heart transplant and heart care, including the following honors:
- Pediatric Transplant Committee Member - United Network for Organ Sharing
- Medal of Honor - U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration's National Collaborative on Organ Donation and Transplantation
- Optum Center of Excellence
- Recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a Best Children's Hospital 2024-2025 for cardiology & heart surgery
- Pediatric Heart Transplant Society Registry Vanguard Center Award
- Named a Center of Care by the Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation
What to expect
Although every child’s health journey is personal, we want you to be familiar with our heart transplant process.
As part of the evaluation for heart transplant, our team of experts will assess whether heart transplantation is a good fit for your child. They will also consider alternatives to a transplant and help you decide the approach that is best for your child and your family.
Our team will perform all the diagnostic tests required—including blood and urine tests, echocardiogram, ECG, EKG and, if necessary, heart biopsy. In addition, our social worker and child life specialist will help make sure your entire family is prepared and able to participate in your child’s recovery.