Morristown Medical Center and New York-based NYU Langone Health, two nationally recognized cardiovascular programs, are expanding their partnership, it was announced this week.
Officials at both organizations said the aim is to provide patients with improved access to adult congenital heart disease services and the specialist-directed care that will improve patients’ quality of life.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, congenital heart disease affects nearly 1%, or about 40,000 births per year in the U.S., with more than 90% reaching adulthood. There are an estimated 2 million adults living in the U.S. with congenital heart disease.
Morristown Medical Center President Trish O’Keefe said there is strength in partnering.
“Our clinical affiliation continues to build and strengthen our cardiovascular relationship with NYU Langone and our nationally ranked cardiology program here at our Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute based at Morristown Medical Center,” she said. “Patients will now have more convenient access, closer to home, for highly specialized cardiovascular care and will benefit from the physician expertise from both organizations.”
Morristown Medical Center is part of the Atlantic Health System, which brings added depth to the relationship.
NYU Langone Heart’s Adult Congenital Heart Disease program was the first in the state of New York to be nationally accredited as an Adult Congenital Heart Disease Comprehensive Care Center and the first in the nation to be reaccredited.
Dr. Dan Halpern, the program director, said the relationship works well.
“Our partnership with experts at Morristown Medical Center will provide advanced adult congenital heart disease care to patients in New Jersey, allowing them to stay in their local community,” he said.
Dr. Claire Boccia Liang, the medical director of adult congenital heart disease at Atlantic Health, agreed.
“This collaborative approach with our colleagues at NYU Langone will provide congenital heart disease patients the specialized care they require to live better lives,” she said.
In July 2021, Atlantic Health System and NYU Langone Health announced a partnership on organ transplantation that coordinates transplant care at Morristown Medical Center for heart patients and Overlook Medical Center for liver patients allowing greater access through a high-quality and highly collaborative patient care team.
