MEMPHIS, Tenn. – In recognition of its expertise in serving adults with congenital heart disease (CHD), structural heart conditions present at birth, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital earned 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.
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.
“Le Bonheur is dedicated to providing the best health care for children including those going into adulthood with congenital heart disease. Our ACHD program’s purpose at Le Bonheur is to ensure that patients with heart disease have easy access to lifelong care from cardiologist who are specially trained to care for their unique issues. We are very excited about this accreditation for our program,” said Le Bonheur Cardiologist and Medical Director of Adult Congenital Heart Disease B. Rush Waller, MD.
Le Bonheur 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. The Le Bonheur cardiologist in this program are also all board certified in adult congenital heart disease.
“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 40 ACHA ACHD Accredited programs throughout the United States.
About Le Bonheur Children’s:
Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., treats children through community programs, regional clinics and a 255-bed state-of-the-art hospital. Le Bonheur serves as a primary teaching affiliate for the University Tennessee Health Science Center and trains more than 350 pediatricians and specialists each year. Nationally recognized, Le Bonheur is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as a Best Children’s Hospital.
For more information, please call (901) 287-6030 or visit lebonheur.org. Connect with us at facebook.com/lebonheurchildrens, twitter.com/lebonheurchild or on Instagram at lebonheurchildrens.
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.
The ACHA ACHD Accreditation Program is partially funded through program sponsorships by Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems, Inc., and Edwards Lifesciences, LLC.
For more information about ACHA, or to schedule an interview with Mark Roeder, please contact Terri Schaefer at tschaefer@achaheart.org.
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