Adult Congenital Heart Program

Thanks to advancements in heart care, children with congenital heart disease are growing up, reaching adulthood, and leading fulfilling lives. This exciting news has been true for only the last 20 years, and it has created a need for a new medical specialty—adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) care. We are proud to be one of the first programs nationwide to become accredited, and one of just four accredited Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) ACHD Comprehensive Care Centers on the West Coast. This distinguished accreditation means exceptional, advanced care for children and adults with congenital heart disease, care that empowers individuals to live their best lives. Our care at Stanford 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, and we treat all types of congenital heart disease, from simple to highly complex.

Our Adult Congenital Heart Program is therefore a joint program 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 people of all ages.

The results of our collaboration—ACHD outstanding outcomes—are due to our seamless sharing of research and expertise between both of our institutions. It’s unusual to have a children’s hospital connected to an adult hospital, especially two that are highly ranked nationally. This advantage empowers us to provide the highest quality of care available, enhancing lives and helping individuals thrive.

Why choose our Adult Congenital Heart Program:

• 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 care advances.
• Patient-centered and family-centered care. When we care for your child’s congenital heart disease, we extend care beyond the physical to include a full suite of comprehensive services. These services include social services 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.