Akron Children’s Heart Center has taken another step forward on its mission to mend all kids’ “broken” hearts. Pediatric Cardiologist and Director of Akron Children’s Pediatric Arrhythmia Center John Clark, MD, and his team have adapted a common cardiac ablation procedure, traditionally used to treat abnormally fast heart rhythms, to now also treat areas of […]
Patient Experience Spotlight: Julie Rankin
Every day at Akron Children’s, we strive to deliver compassionate care and create positive experiences for our patients and families. This month, we’re spotlighting Julie Rankin, RCCS, a pediatric cardiac sonographer, who received the following feedback from a patient family, after their recent visit: “My (age) year old daughter had an echocardiogram this morning. She […]
Diane Bueker plans a retirement full of travel, music and fun
Diane Bueker, pediatric cardiac sonographer, wanted 2 things as a teenager: to work in the medical field and volunteer with the Peace Corps. At age 16, Diane achieved her first goal when she began working for a private practice surgeon. But being part of a service opportunity that changed lives took a lot longer to […]
Akron Children’s orthopedic surgeons reduce opioid prescriptions by 54 percent
As the opioid crisis grew into a national epidemic, the nine pediatric orthopedic surgeons at Akron Children’s began analyzing their own pain prescribing practices and how they compared with peers. This led to a standardized protocol that has reduced the amount of narcotics being prescribed by 54 percent. “The opioid epidemic, a multifactorial issue with […]
Multi-center study makes the case for heart catheterization technique pioneered at Akron Children’s
As Dr. John Clark stands over a patient under anesthetic for a heart catheterization procedure at Akron Children’s, he points to a red image shaped like a caterpillar on the wide screen. That’s the ablation catheter inside the child’s heart. He will use the catheter tip to destroy an abnormal electrical pathway causing a heart […]
Akron Children’s work in Haiti is showcased in ‘Open Hearts,’ a CIFF documentary
Akron Children’s work with St. Damien Hospital in Haiti takes center stage in a new film being shown at the 2021 Cleveland International Film Festival. The 59-minute film, called “Open Hearts,” can be streamed for $10 from April 8 to 20. Of that, a $1 donation goes to the nonprofit MedWish. You can watch a […]