Improving National Outcomes in Congenital Heart Surgery

Abstract
Recently there have been several high-profile articles in the national media reporting on US congenital heart surgery programs, which have led in part to closure or curtailing of surgical services of at least 5 programs. These articles stemmed from concerns raised by families and practitioners regarding program outcomes and lack of transparency, which led to news media investigations and reported findings of mortality and complication rates that exceeded national norms. These cases highlight what has been well-documented for many years, the wide variability in care delivery, practices, and outcomes across US centers performing congenital heart surgery (1).