Heart Rehabilitation Services
The Heart Institute at Children’s Hospital is a partner in the area's first Pediatric Cardiac Recovery Program (PCRP) with The Children's Institute. The Children's Institute is Pittsburgh's premier provider of pediatric rehab.
Offering both inpatient and outpatient rehab, the experts at the PCRP:
- Aim to improve recovery and the quality of life for children with heart problems and their loved ones.
- Focus on the unique cardiac rehabilitation needs of each child and their family.
- Pinpoint possible complications early and make long-term recommendations.
Contact the PCRP
- For more about the PCRP, call 412-420-2100.
- For referrals or consults, call the PCRP’s nurse practitioner coordinator at 412-692-5540.
Why is Cardiac Rehab Important for Children?
The advances made in pediatric cardiac rehab during the past half century are huge. From managing irregular heartbeats to performing heart transplants, children's heart care has evolved to help them survive surgery and lead meaningful lives.
In fact, an entire generation of former pediatric cardiac rehab patients has now reached adulthood.
But recent research reveals that critical heart disease in children has far-reaching effects that last long after they leave the hospital.
Your child's illness can affect areas of his or her health and wellbeing that extend beyond the heart including:
- Physical
- Emotional
- Behavioral
- Social
- Cognitive
Identifying and treating even slight issues early can reduce potential problems in the future.
Caring for all aspects of your child's health — not just his or her heart disease
To enhance the recovery process of pediatric heart patients, we recognize the value of caring for the entire patient and not just the heart.
This holistic treatment approach:
- Ensures we tend to all aspects of your child's health and development — and those of you and your family.
- Helps children successfully adapt to a new way of life while reaching their fullest potential.
Is my Child a Candidate for the Cardiac Recovery and Rehab Program?
Your child’s cardiologist will decide. If yes, he or she will refer your child to the PCRP.
Doctors at Children’s Heart Institute or from other heart programs also may refer patients based on their:
- Diagnosis
- Treatment plan
- Recovery process
Where Does My Child Go for PCRP Inpatient Care?
Inpatient heart care is at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Specialty and post-surgical care is in the hospital’s state-of-the-art pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU). The CICU is the only one in the region designed to meet the needs of our most medically fragile heart patients.
Where Do You Offer Outpatient Rehab for My Child?
After your child leaves the hospital, long-term and follow-up cardiac outpatient rehab continues at The Children’s Institute.
The Children’s Institute’s main campus is in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh — only minutes from the hospital.
Other centers that offer PCRP outpatient care are in:
- Green Tree
- Monroeville
- Wexford
See all of our regional outpatient rehab locations.
What Kinds of Doctors or Other Experts are on the PCRP Team?
The PCRP care team includes pediatric heart and rehab experts from both Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and The Children’s Institute.
We have special training in treating infants, children, teens, and young adults.
Your child will have access to all Children’s Hospital and Children’s Institute health care providers.
Based on each child's unique needs, the care team may include the following pediatric health specialists:
- Cardiac anesthesiologist
- Cardiac intensivist
- Cardiologist
- Cardiothoracic surgeon
- Developmental specialist
- Neurologist
- Neuropsychologist
- Nurse practitioner coordinator
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- Nurses
- Nutritionist
- Occupational therapist
- Pain management specialist
- Physiatrists
- Physical therapist
- Social worker
- Speech/language therapist
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Contact the PCRP to Learn More or Refer a Patient
- For more about the PCRP, call 412-420-2100.
- For referrals or consults, call the PCRP’s nurse practitioner coordinator at 412-692-5540.
