Foody for Thought | About 90% of infants born with moderate to complex congenital heart disease survive their first year of life—up from 20% in the 1950s. Even better, many of these infants are living well into adulthood. While this is all great news for congenital heart disease patients and their families, making sure these patients maintain consistent, appropriate care from birth through adulthood can be a challenge, particularly during the transition from pediatric to adult care. The ACC is committed to helping congenital heart disease patients and their families understand their disease and treatment needs. On the provider front, there is even a special member section for cardiovascular professionals interested in congenital heart disease to stay up to date on the latest research, healthcare policies, clinical guidelines and appropriate use criteria and best practices. Most recently the ACC launched its Congenital Heart Disease Clinic Directory on CardioSmart.org. The directory allows patients, families and healthcare providers to find services, centers, and cardiovascular specialists in pediatric cardiology and adult congenital heart disease based on name or location. Clinics with the designation are recognized by the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) as an ACHD Clinic. Learn more by going to CardioSmart.org/chddirectory.

JoAnne Foody, MD
Editor, CardioSmart
Medical Director, Cardiovascular Wellness
Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston

Keywords: CardioSource WorldNews, ACC Publications

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