Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota announces opening of new Cardiovascular Center

Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota is opening a new world-class Cardiovascular Center—the only one of its kind in the Upper Midwest—that integrates all pediatric cardiac services in one location. The new Cardiovascular Center reflects Children's dedication to family-centered care with all private patient rooms with the latest in technology for both the patient and care team, a state-of-the-art hybrid operating room, and 24/7 access to specially trained cardiac intensivists to ensure the best possible care for patients.

The new Cardiovascular Center allows Children's, the largest provider of pediatric cardiovascular services in the region, to take its excellence in pediatric care to an even higher level.

"After years of planning, we can now provide care in a space that matches our high quality care services and is specifically designed to meet our patients' unique needs," said David Dassenko, MD, medical director of the Cardiovascular Center at Children's. "Children's is a national leader in terms of delivering the best outcomes for the most difficult cardiac issues and we're fortunate to have this new, world-class facility in which to continue carrying that out."

The Cardiovascular Center concentrates all cardiac services on one floor, including admissions, diagnostics, outpatient and inpatient cardiac catheterization, surgical procedures, discharge services, and follow-up care services. A patient will stay on the same unit from the time they are admitted to discharge, optimizing the continuity of patient care and minimizing risk involved in moving patients from floor to floor post-surgery.

In addition, the new center features advanced technologies such as full access to the SOMATOM Definition Flash CT scanner, which minimizes radiation exposure for patients while obtaining optimal images. The facility also features a dedicated hybrid operating room-one of only 10 nationwide, a cardiac catheterization lab, and a standard operating room, all of which provide the best available technologies for patients.  

Along with the technical features, Children's cardiac care model provides patients access to Children's top quality medical staff, including five on-site cardiac intensivists devoted to pediatric cardiac care 24/7. No other facility in the region offers this service. The center is also staffed with specially trained cardiac nurses, respiratory care staff, and a pain specialist who will join the team soon.