The 10 Best Children's Hospitals-Medicine At Michigan Fall 2001

The 10 Best Children's Hospitals

University of Michigan's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital

Recognized internationally for its success in performing heart transplants and in treating congenital heart conditions and rare heart syndromes
Developed ECMO, a system that provides temporary heart and lung assistance for children
Improved ventilators that help premature babies breathe easier
Assists children in preparing for surgery by running through a "pretend" version of the procedure
Boasts a top-notch pediatric trauma center, one of 13 nationwide recognized by the American College of Surgeons
Specializes in treating birth defects of the face and skull
Staff board-certified in pediatrics: 100%

Child Magazine cover Physicians at the Congenital Heart Center at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital are among the country's most experienced, having treated about 20,000 children since 1978. And every year, they increase their caseload. In 1999, they performed 850 major heart surgeries, 700 cardiac catheterizations, and 600 open-heart procedures. "Despite the high volume, we treat every patient as an individual," says Patricia A. Warner, associate hospital director. "Teams of specialists, including surgeons, cardiologists, nurses, pharmacists, and dieticians, put their heads together to ensure the best results for each patient."

Besides a comprehensive cardiac care center, C.S. Mott has also built a well-respected transplant program, including kidney, heart, heart-lung, pancreas, liver, bone marrow, and cornea grafting. While waiting for a heart transplant last year, 9-year-old Julia Strecher went into cardiac arrest six times. "The doctors assured me that they would do their best not to let Julia die before she got a heart transplant," says her father, Vic. "They kept their word."

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