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Physicians from The Christ Hospital Health Network and Cincinnati Children’s are collaborating to establish a new adult congenital heart disease clinic. This initiative aims to bridge care between pediatric and adult providers for patients with congenital heart disease. Patients can access the services at The Christ Hospital Health Network’s structural heart program located at its Mt. Auburn campus.
"Today’s announcement means the number one hospital in Cincinnati for heart health and one of the top-ranked children’s hospitals in the country are combining resources to give exceptional care to our patients," stated Santiago Garcia, MD, Director of Structural Heart Program at The Christ Hospital Health Network. He emphasized that the program seeks to ensure a seamless transition for patients as they age into adulthood, requiring lifetime management of their diagnosis.
Dr. Garcia has collaborated with Sasha Opotowsky, MD, medical director of Cincinnati Children’s Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program, over two years to bring this clinic to fruition for Greater Cincinnati residents. Cincinnati Children’s ACHD program is internationally recognized and operates multiple locations across Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. It was among the first centers nationally accredited by the Adult Congenital Heart Association as an ACHD Accredited Comprehensive Care Center.
"Those born with a congenital heart defect are living longer thanks to dramatic improvements in care," said Dr. Opotowsky. "There is enormous value provided by pediatric specialists who have deep expertise in CHD." She highlighted that collaborations like this address growing needs as patients acquire 'adult' conditions such as diabetes and coronary disease.
The clinic's team comprises experts from both institutions specializing in cardiac imaging, electrophysiology, cardiac surgery, and interventional cardiology. Physician liaisons include cardiologists Andrew Noll, MD; Teresa Ratajczak, MD; J. Michael Smith, MD (Cardiac Surgery) from The Christ Hospital Health Network; and Clayton (Tony) Smith, MD; Shabana Shahanavaz, MD; Shankar Baskar, MD; David Morales, MD (Cardiac Surgery) from Cincinnati Children’s.
The Christ Hospital Health Network includes an acute care hospital in Mt. Auburn and several outpatient centers throughout the region. Recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the #1 hospital in the Cincinnati Region and listed on Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals list in 2024, it continues its mission of providing compassionate care for over 135 years.
