CHEO is making changes to our pediatric cardiac care program, with a focus on maintaining access to quality care and providing services closer to home.
Since its inception, CHEO’s program has benefited from a partnership with the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI). The Heart Institute has provided the CHEO cardiac program with cardiovascular perfusionists, clinicians who operate key equipment such as heart-lung (or bypass) machines. With increasing demands for adult cardiac care, which is its primary mandate, UOHI is no longer able to provide perfusion to CHEO. Perfusionists are an essential part of a multi-disciplinary cardiac service.
Thanks to Ontario’s one-program-two-site model for pediatric cardiac surgery, CHEO will coordinate with SickKids to ensure children's access to care. Effective April 1, pediatric patients needing some specialized cardiac procedures will be temporarily diverted to Toronto while receiving pre- and post-operative care in Ottawa. CHEO and SickKids share an electronic health record and have established processes for the transfer of patients, which include social and financial support to families. We are working with SickKids and other partners to fill this staffing gap.
The vast majority of cardiac care is planned and scheduled, however, emergent cases do arise. We are grateful the Heart Institute will continue to provide perfusion coverage for children requiring emergent care, until the new perfusion staffing model is implemented later this year.
The CHEO Cardiac Program follows more than 3,500 children and youth annually. It is estimated this temporary diversion will affect fewer than 50 families. Affected families and caregivers will be contacted by their cardiac team in the next few days to discuss next steps.
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