The doctors and nurses who save little hearts at Miami
Children’s had a big milestone to celebrate in 2013.
Practitioners of the hospital’s renowned Heart Program
paused to recognize the 4,000th open-heart surgery
performed by the team since 1995, when the current
top-performing cardiac surgeons joined the esteemed
heart program.
Joining in the celebration was the family of the 4,000th
patient, Daniella Fernandez, who is the granddaughter of
Miguel “Mike” B. Fernandez, one of the hospital’s most
generous donors and the namesake for the enhanced
Miguel “Mike” B. Fernandez Family Pediatric Trauma
Center in the new Emergency Department. Also joining
was Miguel Soler, 18, who was the first patient of the
new surgical team in 1995.
“No other program in the region performs anywhere
near the volume of complex procedures that
characterize our program,” said Dr. Robert Hannan,
a pediatric cardiovascular surgeon who spearheaded
the celebration.
Further, no other pediatric cardiology and
cardiovascular surgery program in Florida ranks
higher, according to
U.S.News and World Report’s
2013-2014
“Best Children’s Hospitals” rankings. The
Heart Program is also committed to posting real-time
surgical outcomes on the program’s website. It is the
only program in the country to do so.
Lead
The Heart Program
Celebrates Milestone
“ High volumes,
experience and
outcomes are
what define the
top centers. We
are proud to be
the leading
program in the
state of Florida.”
Dr. Robert Hannan
Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgeon
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