Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program earns national accreditation 

Thanks to advances in cardiovascular care, almost all children born with heart problems, regardless of severity, are now expected to live into adulthood. In fact, we now have more adults with congenital heart disease than children.  For many providers across the country, adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) patients represent a special population to care for, since these adult patients were formerly children who grew up with heart problems from childhood, often from birth. 

Thus, it is so important for ACHD patients to be treated by experts specifically trained to care for them and their unique health challenges. Here at Texas Children’s Hospital, home to one of the nation’s largest ACHD programs, we offer patients and families with congenital heart disease seamless continuity of care from fetal life through adulthood. In addition, as children with heart problems transition to their adult years, our team of multidisciplinary CHD specialists help with health and lifestyle choices for their adult needs.   

To better serve these patients, the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) recently launched the ACHA Adult Congenital Heart Disease accreditation program which outlines the standards of high-quality care that is required to provide comprehensive care to ACHD patients. 

I’m so excited to share that Texas Children’s Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program is the first in Texas to earn ACHD Comprehensive Care Center accreditation from the ACHA.  

But, what does this mean for you, our patient family? This accreditation demonstrates our team’s ability to provide the best possible care for those adults living with CHD. The criteria for a program to receive this designation were developed by the ACHA over several years with the help of internationally-recognized clinicians and patients. We are hopeful that as the ACHA oversees ACHD programs throughout the country, the standard of care will be elevated for the more than 1.4 million patients in the U.S. who live with ACHD.

Texas Children’s is ranked #1 nationally in cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report. To learn more about Texas Children’s Heart Center® please visit texaschildrens.org/heart. 

For more information about Texas Children’s Hospital ACHD program, please call 832-826-5600 or 1-800-82-HEART or visit our website.

For more information about ACHA visit http://www.achaheart.org.