Texas Children's Hospital first in Texas to receive national accreditation for adult congenital heart disease program

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- Texas Children’s Hospital is proud to announce its Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program recently earned Comprehensive Care Center accreditation from the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA).

Texas Children’s Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program is the first in Texas to receive this esteemed designation. 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.

“We are honored to earn ACHA accreditation for the comprehensive care we provide to our patients each day,” said Dr. Wayne J. Franklin, director of Texas Children’s Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program and associate professor of pediatrics-cardiology at Baylor College of Medicine. “As one of the largest programs in the nation, we are proud this designation will heighten the standard of care for the more than 1 million adults in our country who are living with a congenital heart defect.”

Texas Children’s Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program received accreditation by meeting ACHA’s criteria – which includes medical and surgical services and personnel requirements – and going through a rigorous accreditation process, both of which were developed over a number of years through a collaboration with doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses and adult congenital heart disease patients.

“This accreditation further validates the coordinated surgical and medical care we deliver,” said Dr. Charles D. Fraser Jr., surgeon-in-chief and chief of congenital heart surgery at Texas Children’s, and professor of surgery and chief of the division of congenital heart surgery at Baylor. “Our dedication to tracking patient outcomes allows us to continually improve quality of care and optimum results for our patients.”

Patients of Texas Children’s Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program receive seamless continuation of care from birth through adulthood. As a pediatric patient transitions to their adult years, the multidisciplinary team of experienced congenital heart disease specialists advises them on health and lifestyle choices for their adult needs, including physical challenges, exercise options and family planning.