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"I don't practice in a vacuum. You need a village to take care of these patients, and that's why I'm lucky to be here."
Children who are born with congenital heart disease need lifelong, specialized care. That's where the UPMC Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center comes in.
The center cares for people with congenital heart disease at every stage of life — from infancy, to childhood, to adulthood. About 1 in 100 children are born with CHD in the United States. About 2 million American adults are living with CHD.
"Basically, if you're born with congenital heart disease now, survival has improved," says Arvind Hoskoppal, MD, director, UPMC Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program. "There are more adults living with congenital heart disease than ever before. And, so, there's a growing need in the population.
"Most of them, even though they've had corrective surgery in their infancy or early childhood, will require lifelong follow-up and care."
The UPMC Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center is accredited by the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA). It is the only center in western Pennsylvania with that accreditation. It cares for patients from all over the country and all over the world.
“If your child needs heart surgery, it's important to travel to an experienced center with the most capable team," Dr. Hoskoppal says. "UPMC is a destination center for all aspects of heart disease management and treatment, including congenital heart disease."
The center's work straddles the fields of pediatric and adult cardiology and requires strong collaboration throughout the UPMC footprint. That includes UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, and the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute.
The Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center provides patients with access to all cardiac subspecialties, from surgery to electrophysiology to catheterization. It provides cutting-edge treatments on an individual level.
“The comprehensive care across the UPMC footprint sets our team apart," Dr. Hoskoppal says. "Our multidisciplinary team closely collaborates on each patient's case to provide the best treatment. We ensure that the patient receives a seamless continuum of care at every stage.
“I don't practice in a vacuum. You need a village to take care of these patients, and that's why I'm lucky to be here."
Dr. Hoskoppal says the center strives to provide world-class care, from diagnosis to lifelong treatment. Clinicians often can diagnose congenital heart disease before birth. If a baby is born with congenital heart disease, they are followed by a pediatric cardiologist. When they become an adult, they transition to adult care.
There are also continued efforts to improve care. That includes working to make the transition from pediatric care to adult care smoother for teenagers. They also are striving to improve the patient experience for patients who come from far away.
"I went into medicine to take care of patients," Dr. Hoskoppal says. "Everything else is secondary. It's a privilege, and I don't take it for granted. To be surrounded by such great people, it doesn't happen every day."
At UPMC, Life Changing Medicine means taking care of patients of all ages.
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