CHAMP | Cardiac High Acuity Monitoring Program
Nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report
CHAMP | Cardiac High Acuity Monitoring Program
Nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report
Cardiac high acuity monitoring
The Children’s High Acuity Monitoring Program (CHAMP®) is a dedicated, multi-disciplinary team that has been built to meet the needs of some of our most complex patients: babies who are born with complex congenital heart disease and are in the critical period between birth and surgery. Complex congenital heart disease include conditions like hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), heterotaxy syndrome, tricuspid atresia, hypoplastic right heart syndromes, along with staged repairs for Tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary stenosis/pulmonary atresia.
These infants with complex congenital heart disease and their families receive support with home monitoring provided by the CHAMP team. An important part of our home monitoring program is our proprietary Children’s High Acuity Monitoring Program (CHAMP®) app, which is connected to a central database.
Families can use the app on their own device(s) or we provide families with a device for use at home. The app enables nearly-instantaneous, in-home monitoring and improves communication during this vulnerable time.
In 2017, Children's Mercy was honored as a recipient of a Microsoft Health Innovation Award, which recognizes health organizations for using Microsoft devices and services in innovative ways that help engage patients, empower care teams, optimize clinical and operational effectiveness, and transform the care continuum.
Parents are an important part of this team, engaged and empowered to assist in the medical care of their child when at home. The program depends on parents being involved and informed, taking a lead role in their child's care.
Children's Mercy is seeking other institutions to join us in utilizing the CHAMP technology to its full potential in saving lives with the CHAMP Multi-Site Project.
Images from our Children’s High Acuity Monitoring Program (CHAMP®) app.
Inside Pediatrics: Ziah's story
Before she’s born, Ziah is diagnosed with half a heart or HLHS (hypoplastic left heart syndrome). Because she also has severe premature issues, her parents were prepared to give birth and for Ziah to pass away. But thanks to an innovative idea rarely attempted with an HLHS baby, a tiny balloon is inserted in mom’s womb to help Ziah survive through birth and the heart repairs needed during her first year of life. Between the first and second surgery, Ziah is closely monitored at home in real-time by the ground-breaking home heart monitoring program (CHAMP), which cardiologists use to diagnose a life-threatening problem with Ziah’s heart.
CHAMP: Winston's story
Winston Wahlgren has hypoplastic left heart syndrome, or HLHS, a congenital heart defect that requires three heart surgeries to repair. His parents used the CHAMP App, an innovative PC tablet-based application created by Children’s Mercy researchers, to monitor his condition between surgeries.
Meet the CHAMP Team at Children's Mercy
CHAMP Coordinators
Nickey Crail, RN
Whitney Pierce, RN
CHAMP Providers
Sara Crawford MSN, RN, CPNP-AC
Melissa Elliott PHD(c), RN, FNP-BC, APRN Coordinator
Lori Erickson PHD, CPNP-PC
Hayley Hancock, MD - Medical Director of CHAMP
Matthew Moehlmann, DO
Ryan Romans, MD
CHAMP Nutrition
Whitney Lang RD, LD, MS
Thrive Team
Jami Gross-Toalson, PhD - Psychologist
Erin Perez, LCSW - Program Manager
Alisa Ramsey, LCSW, LMSW - CHAMP Social Worker