University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s (UH Rainbow) and Nationwide Children’s Hospital became Ohio’s leading heart center for kids and adults with congenital heart disease last summer by combining their talent and resources in pediatric heart care and cardiothoracic surgery.
“The Congenital Heart Collaborative is an innovative care model that has strengthened pediatric cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery programs in Cleveland and Columbus through meaningful clinical integration and optimal patient-and family-centered care,” says Patti DePompei, RN, MSN, President, UH Rainbow and UH MacDonald Women’s Hospital. “It is important that we continuously improve our models of care to meet the demands of the ever-changing health care industry, and we are fortunate to have found a great partner with shared vision and values in Nationwide Children’s Hospital.”
The Collaborative is built around the concept of “one program, two campuses” and is led by Timothy Feltes, MD, FACC, and Mark Galantowicz, MD, FACS, both of whom are co-directors of The Heart Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
“This affiliation is an example of how two leading heart programs have united with the same focus and commitment to collaboration, quality and best outcomes,” says Dr. Feltes, Chief of Pediatric Cardiology at Nationwide Children's. “From education and research to the expansion of two state-of-the-art hybrid interventional cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery suites, our clinical experts work together as one team to achieve significant strides and success in the past year and for the future of heart care in Ohio.”
Since The Congenital Heart Collaborative was formed in June 2015, UH Rainbow has expanded its personnel and dedicated Cardiac Step-Down Unit, welcoming two new senior level congenital heart disease experts – Eric Devaney, MD, Chief, Congenital Cardiac Surgery, and Martin Bocks, MD, Director, Pediatric Interventional Cardiology.
The Collaborative is also establishing a state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization laboratory and operating room suite at UH Rainbow.
“Our affiliation with the nationally ranked Heart Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital allows us to provide the highest quality and most comprehensive lifelong care for common to complex congenital and acquired heart conditions, from fetal to adulthood,” said Christopher Snyder, MD, Division Chief of Pediatric Cardiology at UH Rainbow. “Our team is completely integrated clinically and operationally so the full bench of expertise and experience is leveraged for all our patients.”
