CINCINNATI — Jan. 31, 2024 / PRNewswire / — Sixty-six hospitals across the country have joined forces to enhance outcomes for pediatric heart patients. While specialized devices for heart disease significantly benefit adults, the pediatric realm faces a challenging reality: the lack of dedicated medical devices tailored for children. Consequently, physicians are often compelled to adapt adult-sized FDA-approved devices for pediatric use.
February is Heart Health Month. ACTION is a united force dedicated to improving outcomes and enhancing the quality of life for young heart failure patients.
Heartbreaking Statistics and Unprecedented Collaboration
In the United States, pediatric heart failure, with over 14,000 hospitalizations annually, surpasses those due to pediatric cancer. Despite these staggering numbers, research and innovation in this critical area are grossly underappreciated and underfunded. Presently, therapies for managing pediatric heart failure largely derive from adaptations of adult treatments, forcing healthcare providers into a challenging situation where medications and devices not originally intended for children are employed without adequate evaluation.
Enter ACTION, the Advanced Cardiac Therapies Improving Outcomes Network, a pioneering collaboration among pediatric heart failure hospitals nationwide. Consisting of physicians, nurses, patients, families, and researchers, ACTION is a united force dedicated to improving outcomes and enhancing the quality of life for young heart failure patients. This collaborative effort signifies an unprecedented milestone, replacing traditional approaches.
“As we reflect on the journey, February’s Heart Health Month spotlights persistent challenges,” says Angela Lorts, MD, MBA, and Co-Executive Director of ACTION. “Beyond celebrating achievements, we recognize a critical imperative – the desperate need for tailored medical devices for children.”
ACTION Achievements in 2023 and Future Innovations in 2024
In 2023, ACTION launched the first FDA-regulated trial for a pediatric ventricular assist device registry with Berlin Heart, Inc. ACTION also expanded health literacy, published impactful research, established new guidelines for patients, and launched a Heart Healthy Video Series featuring celebrity ambassador Julian Lerner.
“I had been wanting to contribute in a meaningful way to an organization that focuses on helping children. Once I learned about ACTION’s mission to keep kids’ hearts healthy, I knew that I had found just the right place – a place where I could make a tangible, positive difference for kids and their families,” says ACTION’s celebrity ambassador Julian Lerner.
For 2024, ACTION anticipates FDA approval of the Berlin Heart Active Driver, which is expected to revolutionize pediatric heart care. Collaborating globally, ACTION aims to enhance patient quality of life and advocate for pediatric-specific devices, transcending national boundaries.
To explore ACTION’s initiatives, achievements in 2023, and plans for 2024, kindly visit actionlearningnetwork.org.
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ABOUT ACTION
ACTION (Advanced Cardiac Therapies Improving Outcomes Network) is a global organization dedicated to enhancing outcomes for heart failure patients, with a particular focus on children. Since 2017, ACTION has fostered international collaboration among patients, families, clinicians, researchers, payors, and industry stakeholders. Based in Cincinnati, OH, ACTION deploys a quality improvement and research-based approach, uniting 66 network sites and 1,185 members to share data, develop solutions, and drive innovations. Discover more at www.actionlearningnetwork.org.
