Our Heart Specialists

One dedicated team for all your child’s heart needs

We have hundreds of experts dedicated to our Heart Institute and all your child’s cardiac needs from infancy into adulthood. Get to know our team and who your family may interact with when coming for cardiac care.

Cardiac physicians and providers

• Pediatric cardiologists specialize in diagnosing and treating a wide range of congenital and acquired heart conditions and are trained to specifically care for children with complex congenital heart defects.
• Congenital cardiothoracic surgeons care for patients of all ages, including newborns requiring urgent surgery for complex heart defects. From minimally invasive repairs to open-heart procedures and heart transplants, our surgical team consistently delivers outcomes that surpass national benchmarks across the full spectrum of congenital heart surgeries.
• Advanced practice providers — including nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) — are highly trained clinicians who diagnose, treat and manage care for children with heart conditions. They work closely with cardiologists and surgeons across all areas of the Heart Institute, from outpatient clinics and diagnostic labs to the intensive care unit and operating room.
• Pediatric cardiac anesthesiologists provide anesthesia for children with heart conditions and have advanced training in how anesthesia affects the cardiovascular system, allowing them to tailor medications to each child’s specific needs.

Nursing and clinical coordinators

• Clinical nurses bring specialized expertise to every area of the Heart Institute, including the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU), Cardiac Progressive Care Unit (CPCU), operating rooms, catheterization (cath) lab, electrophysiology lab and post-operative units.
• Clinical specialty coordinators are nurses who specialize in a particular area, such as adult congenital heary disease (ACHD), pulmonary hypertension, or electrophysiology, and help coordinate your child’s care as they undergo different tests and procedures. They can answer any questions you or your family has before, during and after treatment.

Diagnostic and imaging specialists 

• Pediatric cardiac sonographers perform echocardiograms and fetal cardiac ultrasounds to visualize heart structure and function.
• EKG technicians capture and analyze the heart’s electrical activity to detect arrhythmias and conduction issues.
• CT and MRI technicians operate advanced imaging equipment to create detailed, 3D views of the heart and blood vessels for surgical planning and diagnosis.
• Exercise physiologists conduct monitored stress testing to assess cardiac performance and provide guidance for safe physical activity.

Procedural and critical care technology specialists

• Perfusionists are experts who operate the heart-lung machine during surgery, temporarily taking over the function of the heart and lungs to maintain circulation and oxygenation while surgeons perform complex cardiac procedures.
• ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) specialists manage longer-term mechanical support for critically ill patients whose heart or lungs need rest and recovery outside the operating room. These highly trained providers work in the ICU to monitor and adjust life-sustaining ECMO circuits in real time.
• Respiratory therapists focus on inpatient, specialized care to help track and improve your child’s breathing.

Geneticists and counselors

• Pediatric cardiac genetic counselors shed light on complex cardiac conditions and can help provide a holistic view of your child’s genetic makeup so we can treat every aspect of your child’s condition, in addition to how it affects their heart. Our Cardiac Genetics and Aortopathy Program is one of the few in the country to have dual board-certified cardiologists and geneticists.

Pharmacists

• Pediatric pharmacists specialize in medication for children, ensuring that multiple medications don’t interfere or interact with each other in negative ways and that your child’s medication plan is optimal for their specific circumstances.

Psychosocial and family support specialists

• Psychologists provide mental health support for your child and family to help navigate the stress that can accompany medical care.
• Social workers can help connect you and your family with programs and resources to support your family as they receive treatment and start recovery.
• Child Life Specialists provide a number of services and programs to help your child and family feel more comfortable and safer during their treatment and throughout their stay in the hospital.
• Cardiac schedulers help navigate the types of appointments, tests, treatments, procedures and surgeries your child may need within the Heart Institute. They can also help parents connect with translators, insurance specialists, social workers and financial counselors.
• Medical interpreters and translation services help communicate information in languages other than English.

Healing and comfort programs

• Spiritual care helps meet the needs of our patients and families by honoring every person's journey and spiritual path.
• Art therapy and music therapy help our patients heal in constructive and creative ways.
• Medical dogs bring smiles to patients around the hospital and help put them at ease.