August 27, 2008 - The Children's Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) in the Bronx recently received approval as a pediatric heart transplant center by the New York State Department of Health.
On the strength of a newly recruited pediatric cardiology team, specialists at CHAM can now treat any congenital or acquired heart abnormality in children and adolescents.
"By adding pediatric heart transplantation to the full range of care we offer our youngest patients, we better meet the significant health needs of our Bronx community," said Steven M. Safyer, M.D., president and CEO, Montefiore Medical Center. "The long-standing impact of social, economic and access-to-healthcare issues means children in the Bronx suffer from a disproportionate number of congenital heart abnormalities and other serious conditions. Now they have access to the high quality care they need right in their own community."
Key to addition of CHAM’s new pediatric heart transplant capabilities was the recruitment of nationally renowned pediatric cardiologist Daphne Hsu, M.D., who joined CHAM as division chief of pediatric cardiology and co-director of the Pediatric Heart Center. Dr. Hsu was also appointed Professor of Pediatrics at Montefiore's affiliated medical school, Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Einstein).
Other prominent specialists in pediatric cardiology have also recently joined the Pediatric Heart Center team, including Jacqueline M. Lamour, M.D., director of pediatric advanced cardiac therapy; Robert H. Pass, M.D., director of pediatric electrophysiology and director of pediatric interventional cardiology; and Leo Lopez, M.D., director of pediatric noninvasive imaging.
"Dr. Daphne Hsu and her team are outstanding clinical investigators and national leaders in the study and treatment of pediatric heart disease and transplantation. Their presence here is a tangible demonstration of our joint efforts to strengthen the links between Einstein research and Montefiore medicine," said Allen M. Spiegel, M.D., The Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz Dean at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
For more information: www.montekids.org/