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The report, which was reviewed by the UNC Health Care Board of Directors September 16th, makes several detailed recommendations to improve the program, while noting UNC Health Care’s commitment to programmatic quality and improvement.


CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Sept. 17, 2019 – An independent, external advisory board, which was appointed by and reports directly to the UNC Health Care Board of Directors, has issued its findings and recommendations for the Pediatric Heart Surgery Program of UNC Children’s in Chapel Hill, NC.

The report, which was reviewed by the UNC Health Care Board of Directors September 16th, makes several detailed recommendations to improve the program, while noting UNC Health Care’s commitment to programmatic quality and improvement. A full copy of the Advisory Board’s report can be found here.

“We have made significant investments over the years to improve our pediatric cardiology program, and will continue to make further enhancements because we recognize the importance of caring for very sick children with incredibly complex medical problems,” said Dr. Wesley Burks, CEO of UNC Health Care. “I’d like to thank the Advisory Board for reviewing our program and making these recommendations, including that UNC may resume complex pediatric heart surgeries, STAT 4 and 5 cases.”

Other recommendations from the Advisory Board are detailed in the report.

The Advisory Board report and recommendations follow recent surveys of the program by the Joint Commission, and the N.C. Department of Health & Human Services on behalf of CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services). Those surveys found no issues or deficiencies with the pediatric heart surgery program.

“On behalf of the UNC Health Care Board of Directors, I’d like to thank the External Advisory Board for its work, and everyone across the health system who remains committed to providing excellent care for all our patients,” said Charlie Owen, Chair of the UNC Health Care Board of Directors.

“We are pleased with both long term and recent improvements to the program and fully support additional enhancements to ensure that our pediatric heart surgery program is one of the best in the country. Furthermore, we are greatly indebted to Dr. Hadley Callaway, Chair of the Joint Conference, Quality and Academic Affairs Committee. Dr. Callaway has invested a great deal of time working with the External Advisory Board as our liaison with them.”

The External Advisory Board is comprised of the following members:

  • Dr. Catherine Krawczeski, Division Chief of Pediatric Cardiology at The Heart Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital
  • Dr. Victor Morell, Surgeon-in-Chief and Chief of the Division of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
  • Dr. Edward Bove, Former Chair of the Department of Cardiac Surgery at the University of Michigan Medical School

About UNC Health Care
UNC Health Care is an integrated health care system owned by the state of North Carolina and based in Chapel Hill. It exists to further the teaching mission of the University of North Carolina and to provide state-of-the-art patient care.

UNC Health Care is comprised of UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill, ranked consistently among the best medical centers in the country; the UNC School of Medicine, a nationally eminent research institution; Pardee UNC Health Care in Hendersonville; Chatham Hospital in Siler City; Johnston Health in Clayton and Smithfield; UNC Lenoir Health Care in Kinston; Wayne UNC Health Care in Goldsboro; Caldwell UNC Health Care in Lenoir;Nash UNC Health Care in Rocky Mount; UNC Rockingham Health Care in Eden, Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, UNC REX Healthcare and its provider network in Wake County; and the UNC Physicians Network. For more information, please visit www.unchealthcare.org.

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