Adult Congenital Heart Program

Thanks to heart care advancements in the last 20 years, children with congenital heart disease are growing up, reaching adulthood, and leading fulfilling lives. This amazing medical achievement has created a need for a new medical specialty called adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) care.

Our program was one of the first in the country to be accredited, and we are one of just four Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) ACHD Comprehensive Care Centers on the West Coast. This distinguished accreditation assures that you or your child get exceptional advanced care for congenital heart disease. Our care at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health and Stanford Health Care (our adult hospital) extends to children of all ages (in the womb, newborns, children, teenagers), as well as adults with congenital heart disease. We treat simple to complex congenital heart disease, and we are here for you and your child to empower him or her to live their best life.

Collaboration brings excellent outcomes

Our Adult Congenital Heart Program is a collaboration between Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford and Stanford Health Care. Having experts in congenital heart disease at both locations empowers us to provide the right care at the right time and in the right place for individuals of all ages.

Our outstanding outcomes for individuals with CHD (congenial heart disease) are the result of seamless sharing of research and expertise between our hospitals. It’s unusual to have a children’s hospital connected to an adult hospital, especially two that are highly ranked nationally. This advantage allows us to provide the highest quality of care available, to help your child with congenital heart disease thrive and have a seamless transition to adult congenital heart care.

Why choose our Adult Congenital Heart Program for your child’s CHD care:

• Comprehensive care from heart experts with board certification in ACHD. Most of our doctors have more than one heart specialty. Many hold board certifications not only in pediatric cardiology, adult cardiology, or another heart specialty like electrophysiology, but also in adult congenital heart disease (ACHD), a fairly new specialization that demands extra years of training. We pride ourselves in having 10 ACHD board-certified doctors—more than most ACHD programs nationwide. This means multilayered, expert care for your child.
• Superior patient outcomes. By bringing pediatric and adult providers together, we deeply understand the full spectrum of your child’s disease and its manifestations from birth to adulthood. We are well equipped to provide high-quality care that in some cases translates into the delay or elimination of future procedures, resulting in better outcomes and a better life quality for your child, teen, or young adult.
• Seamless lifelong care. As a joint program, we offer care across the continuum for people of all ages with congenital heart disease. In the early teen years, we begin preparing older children for a move from our pediatric care at Packard Children’s Hospital to our adult care at Stanford Health Care in our Transition Clinic. At Packard Children’s Hospital, we also perform surgeries on adults who require the expertise of a pediatric congenital heart disease surgeon, which often translates into superior outcomes.
• Innovative, research-driven care. Since we are situated on one of the world’s top university campuses, we have direct access to experts in research, basic science, and engineering who pioneer new innovations to care for individuals with congenital heart disease. This means your child has access to clinical trials and the latest advances in care.
• Patient-centered and family-centered care. When we treat your child’s congenital heart disease, we extend care beyond their heart condition to include a full suite of comprehensive services. These services include social support and psychology to help with building coping skills and promoting well-being, nutrition and exercise, genetic counseling, reproductive health and pregnancy support for young women, and more.