UPMC Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program Earns Accreditation from the Adult Congenital Heart Association

The UPMC Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program is pleased to announce it has earned the accreditation from the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA), a nationwide organization focused on connecting patients, family members, and healthcare providers to form a community of support and a network of experts with knowledge of CHD.   

The accreditation recognizes our program’s expertise in serving adults with congenital heart disease (CHD).   

Individuals with CHD, the most common birth defect diagnosed in one in 100 births, are living longer. There are nearly 2 million adults in the United States living with one of many different types of congenital heart defects, ranging among simple, moderate, and complex. 

“Earning ACHA accreditation for our Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center is a reflection of the exceptional clinical care we provide at UPMC and of the tremendous effort over many years by our entire team and our hospital,” says Arvind Hoskoppal, MD, MHS, director of the ACHD Program.

The UPMC Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program received accreditation by meeting ACHA’s criteria, which includes medical services and personnel requirements, and going through a rigorous accreditation process, both of which were developed over a number of years through a collaboration with doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and ACHD patients.

“There are now more adults than children in the U.S. with CHD,” said Mark Roeder, President and CEO of ACHA. “Accreditation will elevate the standard of care and have a positive impact on the futures of those living with this disease. Coordination of care is key, and this accreditation program will make care more streamlined for ACHD patients, improving their quality of life.”

There are now 50 ACHA ACHD Accredited programs throughout the United States.  

“The work from our ACHD teams to earn this prestigious accreditation is one of the many reasons the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute and the Heart Institute at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh is one leading centers for congenital cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery in the U.S.,” says Heart Institute co-directors, Jacqueline Kreutzer, MD, FACC, FSCAI, chief of pediatric cardiology, and Victor Morell, MD, chief of pediatric cardiothoracic surgery.

About the UPMC ACHD Program

Decades of advances in pediatric cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery have produced an ever-growing population of adults living long, relatively normal lives with various forms of adult congenital heart disease.

However, the growing population of CHD patients surviving into adulthood requires lifelong, complex cardiac care. Meeting this patient population's needs means expanding services, developing new models of care, and introducing technological advances to lower or remove barriers to care. The UPMC Adult Congenital Heart Disease program is rising to the challenge with a multifaceted approach.

The ACHD program operates on a unified, system-wide model with UPMC Children’s, UPMC Presbyterian, and UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital serving as the hubs for clinical care for the entire spectrum of ACHD patients — younger or older, male or female.

Collaborations with the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute and cardiology practices across the UPMC system and outreach to regional and community cardiology providers for referral needs and support are hallmarks of the program.

UPMC ACHD program also provides a 24/7 consultation service for any patients admitted to the hospital for care of another condition or surgery, or for any ACHD patient who arrives through the emergency department for any reason.

About the Adult Congenital Heart Association 

The Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life and extending the lives of adults with congenital heart disease (CHD). ACHA serves and supports the nearly 2 million adults with CHD, their families and the medical community—working with them to address the unmet needs of the long-term survivors of congenital heart defects through education, outreach, advocacy, and promotion of ACHD research. For more information about ACHA, contact 888-921-ACHA or visit www.ACHAHeart.org.