UPMC Children’s Heart Institute Cardiomyopathy Program Maintains Center of Care Designation by Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation
December 18, 2021
The Heart Institute at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh has once again been named a Center of Care by the Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation (CCF), a national nonprofit committed to improving the health outcomes and quality of life for children with cardiomyopathy. UPMC Children’s received this recognition for consistently providing high-quality cardiac care and specialized disease management for children with cardiomyopathy.
Centers are recognized based on a hospital meeting CCF’s criteria of managing a high volume of cardiomyopathy patients, offering a variety of pediatric services, specializing in the treatment and management of cardiomyopathy in children, and affiliation with an academic research institution. Information about CCF’s Center of Care program and selection criteria is available on CCF’s website under “Family Resources.”
Cardiomyopathy is a chronic and potentially life-threatening heart condition that affects how the heart pumps blood through the body. Pediatric cardiomyopathy is a complex and variable disease with only a quarter of those diagnosed having a known cause. Like other chronic diseases, pediatric cardiomyopathy requires a team approach to comprehensive care as symptoms and complications may need to be controlled by multiple medications, surgery, or implantable devices. Ultimately, the type of cardiomyopathy and its severity will determine the treatment plan.
The Centers of Care program was established in 2017 to recognize excellence in diagnosing and treating pediatric cardiomyopathy and to provide families with standardized center information to assist them in selecting an expert treatment center in their area.
About the UPMC Children’s Pediatric Heart Failure and Recovery Program
“Cardiomyopathy is a complex disease and requires a team-based and evidence-based approach to comprehensive patient care. Our program has some of the best doctors, nurses, and staff providing unwavering care and expertise for children with cardiomyopathy and heart failure,” says Brian Feingold, MD, MS, FAHA, professor of Pediatrics and medical director of the Pediatric Heart Failure and Transplantation Programs at UPMC Children’s. “The CCF accreditation for our program reflects the dedicated efforts of our team to continually improve the quality of care and outcomes for patients who receive a cardiomyopathy diagnosis.”
As a leader in treating children with heart failure, UPMC Children’s Heart Failure and Recovery program helps pediatric patients and their families on both an inpatient and outpatient basis, with its dedicated cardiomyopathy clinics seeing more than 750 visits last year.
“Through the collective efforts and expertise of Dr. Feingold’s team, UPMC Children’s continues to be premier destination for treating complex heart failure and cardiomyopathy in children,” says Jacqueline Kreutzer, MD, FACC, FSCAI, Division Chief of Pediatric Cardiology, the Peter and Ade Rossin Endowed Chair in Pediatric Cardiology, and Co-Director of the Heart Institute at UPMC Children’s.
