Since 2004, the Adult Congenital Heart (ACH) Program at Texas Children’s has provided groundbreaking care, and next week, the hospital will open a first-of-its-kind dedicated facility designed by and for adults with congenital heart disease. The 27,000-square-foot space, situated on the 24th floor of Texas Children’s Lester and Sue Smith Legacy Tower, will include a 16-bed inpatient unit, outpatient clinic, cardiac rehab gym, diagnostics lab and more.
“This innovative approach to care is unprecedented, and another step forward for our no. 1 ranked hospital for cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report,” Dr. Cameron Dezfulian, director of the ACH ICU, said. “While we have been caring for adult patients for many years, this dedicated, state-of-the-art space is tailored to them and their families. It will bring together adult practitioners with the expert pediatric congenital heart care of Texas Children’s. Everything we do in this space will be done with the goal of reducing the impact of these conditions on adults living with congenital heart disease.”
Today, there are more adults than children living with congenital heart disease in the United States. Significant advancements in cardiac care, and improvements in survival after undergoing heart surgery as a baby or young child have resulted in this growing population. While it may seem counterintuitive for adults to be cared for at a children’s hospital, data suggests that if you are an adult living with congenital heart disease and are in need of surgery or cardiology follow up, the outcomes are likely to be better if you are operated on by a congenital heart surgeon and cared for by a cardiologist at a children’s hospital.
“It’s important to recognize that adults living with congenital heart disease have unique issues that are not typical to adults with acquired heart disease,” said Dr. Peter Ermis, medical director of the ACH Program, said. “Because of these unique issues, some adults with congenital heart disease do not get the care they need in an adult setting. It’s only after they develop symptoms that they recognize there is an issue, and at that point, it may be too late. Our goal is to keep these patients in our care so we are able to anticipate the issue before they arise.”
Texas Children’s ACH Program is accredited by the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) and is one of only three accredited programs in Texas. As pediatric patients with congenital heart defects transition into adulthood, members of the team – with the help of our Cardiology Transition Medicine Team – advise patients on health and lifestyle choices for their adult needs, including physical challenges, exercise options and family planning. The ACH Program offers comprehensive medical and surgical care in collaboration with colleagues at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women and Texas Children’s Fetal Center.
The new outpatient clinic will open November 4. The inpatient unit will open in January. Before the floor opens, a lot of preparation and training took place. On October 8 and 9, multidisciplinary teams successfully completed a series of simulated patient care scenarios on the state-of-the-art floor to test the workflow processes and address any concerns.
The program’s leadership team is comprised of Ermis, Dezfulian, Dr. Ed Hickey, surgical director; Dr. Prakash Masand, director of ACH imaging; and Barbara Vazquez, director of ACH nursing. The program also is home to the largest number of ACH accredited cardiologists in the state, 25 dedicated ACH inpatient nurses, five ACH ICU advanced practitioners, techs, assistants and sonographers.
“We currently care for about 2,200 adult patients, but that number is growing exponentially,” Hickey said. “Due to advancements in medical care, surgical care and technological innovations, about 95 percent of children born with congenital heart disease survive and many reach adulthood. With this new space, we can better provide continuity of care from birth through adulthood.”
