Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone: A leader in pediatric cardiology and heart surgery care

Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone is the highest ranked in New York for pediatric cardiology and heart surgery care, based on the national specialty ranking in the U.S. News & World Report's annual "Best Children's Hospitals" guide released this week.

"This ranking signifies the trust our patients and their families place in us when they choose Hassenfeld Children's Hospital for heart disease treatment," said Frank Cecchin, MD, director of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology and the Andrall E. Pearson Professor of Pediatric Cardiology in the Department of Pediatrics. "We are immensely proud to be recognized, validating our commitment to deliver high-quality, family-centered care to those who need us most."

U.S. News & World Report recognized Hassenfeld Children's Hospital among the top 15 children's hospitals in the nation for children's cardiology and heart surgery, which is a huge milestone since opening the doors in 2018, providing a state-of-the art arena to deliver exceptional care.

"There is nothing more gratifying than to see how well children are doing after a major heart procedure, whether it's a month or many years later," said Ralph S. Mosca, MD, MBA, the Henry H. Arnhold Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery and chief of the Division of Pediatric and Adult Congenital Cardiac Surgery at NYU Langone. "These successful outcomes are why Hassenfeld Children's Hospital is a recognized leader in the multidisciplinary care of pediatric heart conditions."

Collaborative and Exceptional Care for Children with the Most Complex Cardiac Needs

Hassenfeld Children's Hospital's cardiologists, congenital heart surgeons, cardiothoracic surgeons, anesthesiologists, cardiac intensivists, cardiac nurse practitioners, and nurses are renowned leaders in the field and work together to treat children with some of the rarest and most complex heart cases from the fetal period through adulthood.

In March 2021, Hassenfeld Children's Hospital opened a comprehensive Congenital Heart Center designed to serve the medical and surgical needs of a growing population of patients with congenital heart disease. The 5,500-square-foot space includes outpatient care, diagnostic testing, presurgical and postsurgical procedure appointments, and patient and family education.

Congenital heart surgery at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital is a national leader performing nearly 250 operations annually on the full spectrum of pediatric and adult congenital heart disease including transplantation. The program has the best risk adjusted survival rate of any hospital program in New York State for pediatric patients and among the very best in the nation, according the latest data from the Congenital Heart Surgery data base (CHSD) maintained by the Society for Thoracic Surgery and a report from the NYS Department of Health.

A collaboration between the Pediatric Congenital Heart Program and adult programs, the Congenital Heart Transition Program teaches adolescents to take charge of the own cardiac care and connects them with experts in the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program at NYU Langone, which is accredited by the Adult Congenital Heart Association as an Adult Congenital Heart Disease Comprehensive Care Center, the first in New York State.

In partnership with the frontline providers, support services including child life, creative arts therapies, integrative behavioral health, nutrition, social work, and spiritual support also play a role in the extraordinary care patients receive, thanks to Sala Institute for Child and Family Centered Care, part of Hassenfeld Children's Hospital.

"Since Hassenfeld Children's Hospital's inception, we have become a place that our patients and families can come for care, answers, and hope, and we have the great privilege of delivering it," said Catherine S. Manno, MD, the Pat and John Rosenwald Professor of Pediatrics and chair of the Department of Pediatrics. "I am grateful for all the faculty and employees whose continued commitment to delivering exceptional and empathetic care has made this ranking possible."