Fast Facts

UF Health Congenital Heart Center Facts & Firsts

  • 2019: U.S. News & World Report ranked the UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital among the top 15 pediatric cardiology and heart surgery programs in the United States, and highest-ranked in Florida for the fourth consecutive year.
  • 2018: U.S. News & World Report ranked the UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital among the top 20 pediatric cardiology and heart surgery programs in the United States, and highest-ranked in Florida for the third consecutive year.
  • 2017: U.S. News & World Report ranked the UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital among the top 25 pediatric cardiology and heart surgery programs in the United States, and highest-ranked in Florida for the second consecutive year.
  • 2017: First in Florida to offer an iPad-monitoring app to caregivers of infants with single ventricle defects, a high-risk cardiac condition.
  • 2017: Republican Sen. Ted Yoho of Florida addressed the U.S. House of Representatives about the UF Health Shands Hospital Pediatric Heart Transplant Program’s recent accomplishments.
  • 2017: The Alachua County Board of Commissioners approved a proclamation that declared April 25 as “UF Health Pediatric Heart Transplant Program Day” in Alachua County.
  • 2017: The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients reported UF Health Shands Hospital with a 100% survival rate over a two-and-a-half-year period.
  • 2017: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons awarded UF Health Shands Hospital with a 3 out of 3-star rating, denoting the center as one of 11 database participants in the country with the highest quality of care in congenital heart surgery.
  • 2016: Physicians at the UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital and the UF Health Congenital Heart Center successfully separated conjoined twins who were connected at the heart, liver, and sternum.
  • 2016: U.S. News & World Report ranked the UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital among the top 25 pediatric cardiology and heart surgery centers in the United States, and highest-ranked Florida.
  • 2015: U.S. News & World Report ranked the UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital among the top 50 pediatric cardiology and heart surgery centers in the United States.
  • 2014: First in the world to discharge the youngest patient from the hospital using SynCardia® implant paired with portable Freedom® driver.
  • 2013: First in Florida to implant the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart®.
  • 2013: First in Florida to perform a heart-lung transplant in the youngest infant.
  • 2007: First in Florida to perform a Berlin Heart® transplant.
  • 2006: First in Florida to implant mechanical the Berlin Heart® ventricular assist device in a pediatric patient awaiting transplantation.
  • 1993: UF Health was the first in Florida to perform an infant heart transplant.
  • 1986: UF Health was the first in Florida to perform a pediatric heart transplant.
  • As one of the largest pediatric heart transplant centers in the state, the UF Health Congenital Heart Center’s Heart Transplant Program exceeds expected survival rates and national survival rates, as reported by The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients.
  • The UF Health Congenital Heart Center’s non-invasive imaging program is accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission in transthoracic, transesophageal, and fetal echocardiography.