(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – Nationwide Children’s Hospital has been named a PCD Foundation Clinical Center. The hospital is one of only two pediatric centers in Ohio with this designation. With this official accreditation, Nationwide Children’s joins a select group of North American centers with demonstrated expertise in diagnosis and care of primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD).
PCD is an inherited disease caused by impaired function of cilia. Impaired cilia function can cause frequent sinus, ear and lung infections, abnormal organ positioning and infertility. Chronic infections can cause a poor quality of life and the potential for irreversible lung damage and hearing impairment if not detected and treated early.
“We strive to make sure our patients feel safe and supported throughout their treatment journey. Because PCD is rare, it can be challenging for families to find the right level of care,” said Kavitha Kotha, MD, pediatric pulmonologist and co-director of the PCD Clinic at Nationwide Children’s, along with fellow co-director Melissa Holtzlander, MD. “Recognition such as this is a testament to the diligent work of our team to provide the highest-quality care to our patients every single day.”
Access to high-quality care for all patients with PCD is vital. Each multidisciplinary site designated as a PCD Foundation Clinical Center is required to meet criteria for the diagnosis and treatment of PCD.
About the PCD Foundation
The PDC Foundation was founded by a PCD parent and a PCD patient in 2002. As a patient-focused organization, the goal of the PCD Foundation is to provide the leadership and resources needed to support increased research, accelerated diagnosis, improved health, and ultimately, a cure for PCD. To learn more about the PCD Foundation and the PCD Foundation-Clinical and Research Centers Network, visit www.pcdfoundation.org.
About Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report’s 2021-22 list of “Best Children’s Hospitals,” Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of America’s largest not-for-profit free-standing pediatric health care systems providing unique expertise in pediatric population health, behavioral health, genomics and health equity as the next frontiers in pediatric medicine, leading to best outcomes for the health of the whole child. Integrated clinical and research programs, as well as prioritizing quality and safety, are part of what allows Nationwide Children’s to advance its unique model of care. Nationwide Children’s has a staff of more than 13,000 that provides state-of-the-art wellness, preventive and rehabilitative care and diagnostic treatment during more than 1.6 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded free-standing pediatric research facilities. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.
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