MDNews - Cleveland-Akron-Canton

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + +++ + HOSPITAL SPOTLIGHT U +++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Pediatric and Fetal Care I than three years since MetroHea lth System and Akron Children's Hospital signed an affiliation agreement to share their resources. Today, Akron Children's provides specialty pediatric care at MetroHealth's main campus in the areas of pediatric cardiology, nephrology, oncology/hematology, general surgery and critical care. These services complement MetroHealth's pediatric specialists in neonatology, gastroenterology, pulmonology, rheumatology, adolescent medicine, infectious disease, genetics, endocrinology, neurology, neurosurgery, dermatology, trauma, burn care and behavioral medicine, among others. T'S B E E N LE SS "Since the partnership was initiated in 2010, there has been an increase in pediatric patient volume at MetroHealth," says John R. (JR) Bockoven, MD, an Akron Children's pediatric cardiologist who sees patients at MetroHealth. "Parents and referring physicians want their kids to be seen sooner, and they want them to be seen closer to home. So this has been a win-win for everyone." Dr. Bockoven is t he A ssociate Clinical Director of Heart Center Cleveland, where a wide-range of cardiovascular services is provided at MetroHealth for children and teens with congenital and acquired heart disease, arrhythmias, hypertension Akron Children's provides specialty pediatric care at MetroHealth's main campus in six pediatric specialty areas, including cardiology. JR Bockoven, MD, (pictured) is an Akron Children's pediatric cardiologist. He is Associate Clinical Director, Heart Center Cleveland at MetroHealth and Director of Outreach Education, Cardiology. 26 | Cleveland/Akron/Canton MD NEWS I MDNEWS.COM I SEPTEMBER- OCTOBER 2013 and high cholesterol. Akron Children's team of cardiologists, which includes a cardiologist dual-certified in pediatric and adult cardiology, also treats young adults who have residual abnormalities or quality of life issues following open-heart surgery as children. The A k ron Children's tea m ca res for approximately 20,000 heart patients, neonates to adults, each year. "We provide outpatient clinics at MetroHealth four days a week," says Dr. Brockoven. "We a lso support inpatient pediatric services in the NICU, PICU and pediatric units." Diagnostic tests offered at Me t roHe a lt h for c h i ld ren w it h suspected heart problems include echocardiography, arrhythmia monitoring and special lab testing for cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Recently, stress testing was added to the offerings. Candidates include teens 13 to 18 years of age and younger patients physically able to undergo the test. "With stress tests we can help diagnose exercise-induced arrhythmias and congenital arrhythmic heart disease. We can also evaluate heart defects resulting from post-surgical scarring," says Dr. Bockoven, who administers the tests. "Children who need surgery or complicated procedures have them performed at The Heart Center on the Akron campus." When heart disease is detected in-utero, Akron Children's pediatric cardiologists work in conjunction with MetroHealth's maternal-fetal medicine specialists to formulate a diagnosis and care plan. More than 2,900 women PHOTOS BY MIKE MUSTAR COURTESY OF METROHEALTH AT METROHEALTH

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