The Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) program at Cook Children’s has earned national accreditation from the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) in recognition of high-quality comprehensive care for adults born with cardiac defects. 

The ACHA is a national organization begun by and dedicated to supporting individuals and families living with congenital heart disease and advancing the care and treatment available to the ACHD community. There are now 58 ACHA ACHD Accredited programs throughout the United States.  

The accreditation puts Cook Children’s in the top tier of programs across the country. The ACHA worked with leading providers of adult congenital heart disease care to develop criteria for ACHD accreditation, a crucial step in advancing and standardizing the quality of care for ACHD patients.  The accreditation program is endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, the Society of Pediatric Echocardiography and other entities.

Criteria include demonstration of high-quality medical and surgical services, specific personnel requirements, specialized equipment, and the development of policies and procedures that ensure the highest level of care in a consistent and reproducible manner. The ACHA seal of approval gives patients the peace of mind they’re receiving the best care possible from leading experts in the field. 

“I am very proud of the work that our team has accomplished in receiving accreditation from the ACHA,” said Scott M. Pilgrim, M.D., the program’s medical director. “The need to develop a comprehensive ACHD program serves as a testament to the many decades of phenomenal pediatric cardiac surgery and pediatric cardiology care here at Cook Children’s. We are honored to be able to extend the Cook Children’s Promise to this growing and vulnerable population.”

Nearly 2 million adults in the United States live with one of many different types of congenital heart defects, according to the ACHA. Fewer than 10% see a cardiologist who specializes in their unique needs.

Even after surgical repair, patients with congenital heart disease should receive lifelong maintenance examinations, and many require additional interventions either in the operating suite or the cardiac catheterization laboratory. This unique subset of patients presents with anatomic and physiologic anomalies uncommonly encountered in adult cardiology -- requiring both an understanding of the congenital heart disease as well as the long-term complications inherent in the repair.

The team includes Pamela Burg, M.D., Anna Venardos, M.D. and Haley Follett, PA-C, who help manage ongoing heart issues for adults with suspected or confirmed congenital heart disease.

Since its inception in 2014, the ACHD program has connected the dots between pediatric and adult cardiology care.  Patients are seen in outpatient clinics at Cook Children’s Medical Center – Fort Worth, satellite clinics in Southlake, Mansfield and Alliance as well as locations across West Texas.  Inpatient care is available at Cook Children’s Medical Center – Fort Worth as well as local adult hospitals.

The program sees patients transitioning from adolescent care into the adult medical arena from within the Heart Center as well as new adult referrals from local and regional primary care, obstetric and adult cardiology practices. Accreditation provides an even broader reach to other programs across the country as more and more patients move into the Metroplex.

In addition to comprehensive inpatient and outpatient cardiology care, the program offers nutrition support, social services, clinical therapy, noncardiac surgery support, genetic consultation, pre-pregnancy counseling, cardio-obstetrics, dental care and more.

Valerie Gibbs, DNP, RN, CPN, Assistant Vice President for Nursing at the Cook Children’s Heart Center, said the accreditation highlights the excellent care the Heart Center delivers to our patients every day.

“Our providers and clinical and administrative teams are committed to meeting the unique needs of those with congenital heart disease, and I am so happy for the well-deserved recognition,” she said.

By Arianna Flores

The Disaster Recovery Institute (DRI), the world's leader for business continuity and disaster recovery, has named Johnathan Offringa, Disaster Recovery Manager, its Program Leader of the Year – Nonprofit Sector. The award highlights Offringa's exceptional work in preparing our healthcare system for any potential crisis that affect information systems.

The DRI is the oldest and largest nonprofit that helps organizations around the world prepare for and recover from disasters by providing education, accreditation, and leadership in business continuity, disaster recovery, cyber resilience. The award was given to Johnathan in Las Vegas where over 22 countries and 300 companies were in attendance. This is the first award given to Johnathan and the Information Systems Department. 

Johnathan said this internationally recognized award came as a shock and blessing to him. An anonymous nomination put him in the mix for the award, a nod to his hard work and the skills he's brought to Cook Children’s.  

During Johnathan’s tenure, he has not only helped us follow industry standards but excelled in working to ensure our patients and staff will be safe in the event of a crisis. The team is continually planning for worst-case scenarios, to protect the overall operation and production of Medical Center-Fort Worth. 

“It’s not ‘if,’ but ‘when,’ ” Johnathan said. “From a healthcare perspective, our goal is whenever something does happen, we will ensure that we are able to get systems back up and running as soon as possible so we can resume patient care."

Johnathan said he and his team continue to learn more about how to best recover in a crisis by earning accreditations through the DRI and the mentorship of team leaders. 

“Without the leadership, guidance, and commitment from the Information Services leadership team to maturing the IS Disaster Recovery Program here at Cook Children’s, it would not have been possible to reach this accomplishment,” he said of the award.  

Aaron Wishon, Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer, has high praise for Johnathan's work.

“His peers and leaders across the IT and other parts of the Cook Children’s organization have raved about his excellent communication skills and collaboration during the implementation of his program,” Aaron said. 

“This effort and leadership are the difference between having disaster recovery programs that look good on paper versus one that goes above and beyond and is resilient and real-world battle tested that gives us the confidence that we’re ready to face a disaster,” Aaron added.  

Thank you, Johnathan, for your commitment to our Promise and congratulations for earning this prestigious award.

By: Arianna Flores 

The Risk Management department celebrates our staff reporting safety concerns by awarding Proof of Promise (POP) awards. These awards are dedicated to highlighting team members who go above and beyond to ensure the safety of our patient, family and employees. 

Megan Atwood, Clinical Risk Coordinator, said the Risk Management team is trying to increase the reporting of near misses and then recognize those who promote patient and employee safety.  

At the end of the month the POP Committee looks at each report and determines a ‘POP of the Month’. A winner and honorable mentions are determined and gifted a t-shirt and recognition.  

POP of the Year 

At the end of the year, all the ‘POP of the Month’ award winners are reviewed, and one is voted as the ‘POP of the Year.’ This year the award was given to Jamie Gomez, BSN, RN, in Surgery, for going the extra mile to ensure the safety of a patient.  

Jamie's winning safety story:  

During preparation for a case, it was discovered that the patient could have metal fragments in their hands due to their occupation. This staff member stopped the line and notified their management. After discussion with the imaging department, options were given on how to safely proceed. The staff member discussed with the care team and shared the new findings and options available. Knowing that patient safety came first, the staff member persisted with the options and had to escalate again to her leadership. While discussing the situation again with additional providers, this staff member thought of an alternative measure that would keep the patient safe but also support the team. A decision was made to utilize their recommendation, the patient’s surgery was successful, and their safety was maintained. 

This staff member went above and beyond to follow procedures, maintain patient safety and stop the line when something was not right. If you look at our Zero Harm tools, it appears the staff member was able to use the ARCC method…they asked a question, requested a change, voiced their concern and utilized their chain of command. 

Megan said Surgery is a busy area and it can be hard to stop and ask questions. Not only did Jamie ask questions but she continued to press when she knew there was a concern.  

“(Jamie) did not give up. She knew that we had to keep the patient safe,” Megan said. “She kept asking questions, raising concerns. She even made an alternative solution that they implemented, that helped everyone come together and proceed safely with the procedure. I think her persistence for us was a big key, and feeling safe and empowered enough to stop that line in such a busy area.” 

Jamie has worked in the Cook Children’s OR for five years and said she was not expecting this award, but the recognition reminded her why she became a nurse in the first place.  

“One of the biggest reasons why I became an OR nurse is to be the advocate for the child when the family and the parents can't be there,” Jamie said. “Going to surgery can be frightening for not only the patient, but for their parents.  So, I take pride in being that person that gets to assure the family that we're going to do the best that we can do to keep their child safe during surgery.” 

Jamie added being aware of what is right and following your gut is an important part of patient and employee safety.  

“Speaking up or just stopping for a second and say, ‘Let me look into this. Let me ask some questions.’ Because I'd rather be cautious before we have a serious injury happen from something that could have been avoided,” Jamie said.  

For more information about the Risk Management department visit their CookNet page here.  

If you have any questions about when and how to report, visit their Event Reporting FAQs or to ask a non-urgent question email the Risk Management team at RiskMgmt-All@CookChildrens.org.   

Cook Children’s Health Care System is proud to announce that seven of its specialty programs have been ranked among the best in the country by U.S. News & World Report’s 2024-2025 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings. This recognition underscores the health care system’s unwavering commitment to providing exceptional care to children and their families.

The report, which was released on Oct. 8, 2024, analyzed data from 108 children’s hospitals and surveyed thousands of pediatric specialists.

The following Cook Children’s specialties were named among the top programs:

·         Pediatric Behavioral Health – Top 50

·         Pediatric Cancer - #37 in the nation

·         Pediatric Cardiology - #37 in the nation 

·         Pediatric Endocrinology - #44 in the nation

·         Pediatric Neurology and Neurosurgery - #45 in the nation

·         Pediatric Orthopedics - #24 in the nation

·         Pediatric Pulmonology - #48 in the nation

This is the first year for U.S. News & World Report to include Pediatric Behavioral Health as “Top 50” programs and Cook Children’s was named to the inaugural list. Other highlights include Cook Children’s Cardiology jumping to #37 and Cook Children’s Orthopedics moving an impressive 16 spots in the rankings, from #40 last year to #24.

“We’re thrilled to see our Pediatric Behavioral Health services recognized on a national level,” said Kia Carter, M.D., co-medical director of Inpatient and Consultation Liaison Psychiatric Services. “Our team's expertise in child and adolescent mental health is unparalleled. These rankings reflect our commitment to providing evidence-based care that empowers young people to thrive.”

U.S. News & World Report evaluated children’s hospitals based on a variety of factors, including quality of care, clinical research programs, services and surgeries performed, patient and family involvement and access to resources, staff dedication, recognition as a Nurse Magnet Hospital, and more.

For Cook Children’s Health Care System as a whole, the rankings highlight longstanding excellence in a variety of areas. 

"It's a tremendous honor to be recognized by U.S. News & World Report once again," said Rick W. Merrill, President and CEO of Cook Children's. “This recognition is a testament to the exceptional work of our doctors, nurses, and staff, who consistently strive to provide the best possible care for every child, every day. Our dedication to our promise and values, combined with our strong culture, sets us apart, and we're proud to be named a top children's hospital.”

About U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives and communities. A multifaceted digital media company with Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, News, Real Estate, Careers and 360 Reviews platforms, U.S. News provides rankings, independent reporting, data journalism, consumer advice and U.S. News Live events. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C