Inpatient Cardiology

Boston Children’s Division of Inpatient Cardiology provides around-the-clock acute care of children and adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) and children with acquired heart disease.

The cornerstone of the division is the Acute Cardiac Care Unit (ACCU). This 52-bed, nationally recognized facility is dedicated to the care of heart patients and staffed by highly trained cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, cardiac nurses, child life specialists, nutritionists, and other multidisciplinary personnel.

Personalized care by cardiac experts

Our commitment is simple: make sure our patients and their families are comfortable and getting the best care possible. Our specialized pediatric cardiac expertise means that we understand the unique challenges, circumstances, and intricacies of working with young people who have heart disease, even the most complex forms.

Click here to learn about the conditions we treat — and the ways we treat them.

We know each case is unique. We develop an individualized treatment plan for each patient admitted to the ACCU, with the goal of restoring and maintaining the best health. We take full advantage of industry-leading technologies and innovations, and work closely with other cardiac specialists throughout the Benderson Family Heart Center to ensure optimal care. Those specialists come from the following programs:

Family-centered care

From the moment you or your child is admitted to the ACCU, you are welcomed as a member of our care team. We will describe every aspect of your or your child’s care and keep you informed every step of the way. Because parents know their child best, we welcome your input about your child’s care. The same holds true for your care. We encourage questions and suggestions from you.

The ACCU is designed to make you and your family feel more relaxed during the hospital stay. Some of our amenities include:

Television and internet access in each patient room
Meals and snacks
A playroom and activities room
Bedside activities
Tutoring
Child life services

World-class nursing care

We’re proud to have received several prestigious awards that recognize our nurses’ commitment to superior patient care.

The American Nursing Association’s All-Pro Award in 2019, celebrating the ACCU’s nursing leadership team for its dedication, commitment, patient advocacy, and clinical expertise.
The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses’ (AACN) gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence, in 2021. The award is a significant milestone on the path to exceptional patient care and healthy work environments. It recognized our unit caregivers who successfully improved patient outcomes and aligned practices with AACN’s six Healthy Work Environment Standards. Units that achieve this three-year, three-level award with gold, silver, or bronze designations meet national criteria consistent with Magnet® Recognition, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, and the National Quality Healthcare Award.

A commitment to quality and safety

A group of physicians, nurse practitioners, and nurses from our team is dedicated to constantly improving the care that is delivered every day. By rigorously and continuously reviewing our outcomes data, we strive to optimize our policies and procedures so that we can do what is best for our patients. From infection control to communication with families — and everywhere in between — we know that we can always improve. Our team is always looking for such opportunities through education and research.

Today’s cardiac experts train the next generation

Aside from being committed to staffing a team of experienced clinicians, we believe in training the next generation of cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, and advanced practice nurses. For example, the Division of Inpatient Cardiology each year offers a senior clinical fellowship to prepare tomorrow’s doctors to become leaders in the field of acute care cardiology. Senior fellows work as supervising physicians of our inpatient medical care teams, with support from ACCU faculty. They complete their fellowships with a deeper understanding of patient care, clinical research, and quality improvement.