Adult Congenital Heart Disease

Penn State Hershey Heart & Vascular Institute's Program for Adults with Congenital Heart Disease (PACHD), directed by William R. Davidson, Jr., MD, has been in existence since 1991 and is the oldest ACHD program in Pennsylvania. This comprehensive program cares for patients ages 18 years and older cardiovascular need, with newly discovered or known congenital heart disease.

The PACHD team consist of three physicians:  William R. Davidson, Jr., MD; John Kelleman, MD and Jennifer Grando Ting, MD and a certified registered nurse practitioner, Michelle J. Nickolaus, CRNP.  Erin Griffe, serves as the PACHD administrative assistant, who can assist you in scheduling appointments for consultation or diagnostic tests.

Our cardiologists are Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease and our nurse practitioner is Board Certified in Adult Acute/Critical Care.  We have dedicated our careers to the care of adult patients with congenital heart disease.

Our echocardiography, cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology laboratories have extensive experience in imaging and treatment of congenital cardiac conditions.  We use state-of-the-art cardiac MRI with ACHD trained readers to evaluate patients.  We also work closely with Maternal Fetal Medicine group for the management of ACHD pregnancies.  Pulmonary, hypertension and medical genetics consultation are available.

Individuals with Marfan syndrome of those desiring evaluation for Marfan syndrome are also welcome in our Program.  Additional genetic counseling and diagnostic evaluations for Marfan syndrome are available through our genetic counselors.

The PACHD works closely with our pediatric colleagues from Penn State Hershey Children's Heart Group including two experienced congenital heart disease surgeons.

Adolescents and adults with congenital heart disease have differenct medical and cardiovascular needs than children with congenital heart disease.  Penn State Hershey Heart and Vascular Institute's Program for Adult Congenital Heart Disease (PACHD) has the expertise and resources to take care of you and your needs.

Penn State Hershey Heart and Vascular Institute's Program for Adult Congenital Heart Disease (PACHD) mission and goals are:

  • To provide comprehensive care for adults with congenital heart disease.
  • To take a team approach, collaborating with pediatric and adult cardiology providers, surgeons and others as needed, the patient and their family to provide seamless of quality care including transition.
  • To maintain a detailed patient database to support clinical management to participate in basic and clinical research in adult congenital heart disease of our site and in multicenter trials.
  • To educate patients and train medical students, nursing students, residents, nurses and  physician at Penn State Hershey and throughout Pennsylvania about the subspecialty of adult congenital heart disease.
  • To expand the field of trained care providers in adult congenital heart disease.

What is an Adult Congenital Heart Clinic or Program?

An adult congenital heart program is a highly specialized comprehensive care center for adults with congenital heart disease on both cardiac and non-cardiac issues. Typically these centers are located in university medical centers.

These centers typically consist of the following personnel at minimum:

 

  • Pediatric cardiologists
  • Adult cardiologists
  • Nurse Practitioners
  • Physician Assistants
  • Registered Nurses
  • Clinical Nurse Specialists
  • Cardiothoracic congenital heart surgeons (pediatric/adult)
  • Anesthesiologists who are comfortable with CHD
  • High risk or Maternal Fetal OB/Gyn physicians/providers
  • Cardiology electrophysiologists


An increasing number of centers may have:

 

  • Dual-trained cardiologists (both adult/pediatric)
  • Psychologists
  • Patient financial counselors
  • Pharmacy financial assistance counselors


When does one start to make the switch to an ACHD clinic?

Often in mid-late teen years the transition is made, but the exact timing is something you, your family and your pediatric cardiologists all decide upon together.

For Appointments call 877-467-7484 or 877 GO PSHVI or 717-531-4554

Referring Physicians may call:

  • Main Hospital Phone:  717-531-8521
  • Program for Adult Congenital Heart Disease office:  717-531-5888
  • Nurse Practitioner Coordinator:  717-531-5411

Penn State Heart & Vascular Institute
Program for Adults with Congenital Heart Disease
Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
500 University Drive, MC H047
Hershey, PA  17033

Email: PACHD@hmc.psu.edu

We have two locations at which our specialists see patients:

The PSHVI Silver Clinic, located in Suite 600,University Physician Center, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

  • Clinic hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekly every Wednesday.
  • Clinic hours are 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. weekly every Monday in the nurse practitioner run clinic.


Our PSHVI Nyes Road Clinic, located at 121 Nyes Road in Harrisburg, PA, on the name grounds as the Chidren's Heart Group practice site.

  • Clinic hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekly every Thursday and Friday.

The Penn State Hershey’s Heart & Vascular Institute Program for Adults with Congenital Heart Disease (PACHD), directed by William R. Davidson, Jr., MD, has been in existence since 1991 and is the oldest ACHD program in Pennsylvania. Our program treats inpatients and outpatients, ages 18 and older, with newly discovered or known congenital heart disease regardless of prior surgery.

Individuals with Marfan syndrome or those requiring evaluation for Marfan syndrome and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are also welcome in our program. Additional genetic counseling and diagnostic evaluations are available through our genetic counselors.

The adult program works closely with our pediatric colleagues from Penn State Children’s Heart Group including two world-renowned congenital heart disease surgeons. Our adult program providers consist of three full-time adult cardiologists and one nurse practitioner.


Our Team

Our ECHO, catheterization and electrophysiology labs have extensive experience in congenital cardiac conditions. We also have a valuable resource in our high-risk OB group, cardiac MRI/MRA and medical genetics teams. Additionally, we have expertise in the management of heart rhythm problems, which commonly occur in adults with congenital heart disease.

Advance preparation will help you get the most benefit out of your visit with your health care providers at the Penn State Hershey's Program for Adult Congenital Heart Disease.  Below you will find some documents that may prove useful as you prepare.