Outcomes at Children's Hospital Colorado's Heart Institute Rank Among Best in the Nation

AURORA, Colo., Oct. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Children's Hospital Colorado's Heart Institute is not only the largest pediatric heart program in the Rocky Mountain region performing more than 550 heart surgeries and almost 1,000 heart catheterization procedures each year, the Heart Institute also meets or exceeds the national average^* in the key benchmarks of quality and care. Some highlights include:

• The Cardiac Surgery Program's overall survival rate for all cardiac surgery patients, regardless of surgical complexity, is 97.3% while the national average is 97.2%
• For the most complex neonatal surgeries, the Heart Institute's survival rate is 89.8%, more than 5 percentage points higher than the national average of 84.7%
• The average length of stay for surgery patients across all STAT categories is anywhere from 1 to 4 days less than the national average. (The STAT score analyzes the risk for mortality associated with congenital heart surgery procedures. Category 1 has the lowest mortality rates while Category 5 has the highest).
• The Pediatric Heart Transplant Program is one of the largest and most experienced in the world with survival rates among the best anywhere including a 100% survival rate at both 30 days and 1 year versus national averages of 97.7% and 93.8% respectively
• The median time to transplant is 2.9 months as compared to a 6.8 month median for the region and an 8.4 month median nationally
• The Cardiac Catheterization Program is just 1 of 3 in the country to receive the InterSocietal Accreditation Commission's seal of approval

"When Oliver was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, we were distraught and deeply saddened by how the doctors saw his future," said Becca Kalivas, mother of 2-year-old Oliver. "It wasn't until we met with doctors at Children's Hospital Colorado that we began to feel hopeful. Not only are their outcomes better than others in the region, the team of doctors, nurses, social workers and therapists of all kinds helped us see that Oliver's future was bright."

Not all hospitals report outcomes from their heart procedures, so it can be difficult for patients and their families to make informed decisions when choosing a hospital to care for their child and their child's specific condition. Lean more about our above national average cardiac survival rates.

"We believe open, honest reporting and dialogue are key to improving outcomes for all patients. We have to open and transparent within our own walls and with patients and families," said Jim Jaggers, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon and co-medical director the Heart Institute at Children's Colorado. "In the end, the measure that matters most to all of us at Children's Hospital Colorado is the long and productive lives our patients go on to lead."

Children's Hospital Colorado combines medical expertise with state-of-the-art technology and comprehensive research. The Heart Institute team's expertise in critical areas of heart care, such as cardiac surgery, cardiac anesthesia, intensive care, fetal diagnostics, cardiac imaging and exercise physicology, contributes to excellent outcomes.

^*The national cardiac surgery averages highlighted are from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database.

About Children's Hospital Colorado
Children's Hospital Colorado is one of the nation's leading and most expansive pediatric healthcare systems with a mission to improve the health of children through patient care, education, research and advocacy. Founded in 1908 and recognized as a 10 top children's hospital by U.S. News & World Report, Children's Colorado has established itself as a pioneer in the discovery of innovative and groundbreaking treatments that are shaping the future of pediatric healthcare worldwide. Children's Colorado offers a full spectrum of family-centered care at its urgent, emergency and specialty care locations throughout Colorado, including its location on the Anschutz Medical Campus, and across the region. The newly-opened Children's Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs, is now the first pediatric-only hospital in southern Colorado. For more information, visit www.childrenscolorado.org, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Children's Hospital Colorado complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

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Media Contacts:
Elizabeth Whitehead, Children's Hospital Colorado
[email protected]
Ph: 720-777-6388

SOURCE Children’s Hospital Colorado

Related Links

http://www.childrenscolorado.org