National Distinction for Dell Children's Heart Program

Congratulations to the The Texas Center for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease (TCPCHD) at Dell Children’s Medical Center for achieving the highest category of quality outcomes by the Society of Thoracic Surgery. This designation makes the TCPCHD part of the small, elite congenital cardiac programs in the United States and Canada.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) is an organization that collects data from more than 95% of the approximately 100 hospitals that perform congenital heart surgery in the US. Twice a year, the STS analyzes the data to help benchmark congenital cardiac programs. According to this report, the observed mortality after congenital heart surgery at our program was significantly lower than the national benchmark – 38% lower, to be precise. This corresponds to the previously used 3-star designation, the highest STS designation for a congenital cardiac program, and one that usually includes only 8-10% of approximately 100 congenital cardiac programs in the country.

Over the past five years, the TCPCHD team has worked tirelessly to build a place that can provide optimal, personalized, and nurturing care to countless children, adults, and families in need. Thanks to their hard work, the program has thrived, growing both in volume and complexity. It has not been without challenges but together, the team has found a way to create a world-class program. And now, the world is noticing.

“We want to express a sincere thank you to our TCPCHD team for your commitment, your passion, and your hard work. We know it has been hard. We know it has been challenging. But we also know it has been worth it – our patients and families are able to receive the very best care possible thanks to you,” said Dr. Charles Fraser, Chief of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery, Texas Center for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease. “Dell Children's heart program is truly becoming a destination medical center, because of our reputation, our world renown physicians, support teams and collaboration with Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin.”