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Optimized congenital heart care ‘from twinkle to wrinkle’: Q&A with Wayne Franklin

Wayne J. Franklin, M.D., F.A.C.C., recently joined Children’s National Hospital as senior vice president of the Children’s National Heart Center. In that role, he oversees the full spectrum of heart care services which includes comprehensive care, as he puts it, from twinkle — when a child is barely more than a twinkle in their mother’s eye — to wrinkles — or throughout the lifespan.

During his first week, Dr. Franklin answered questions about his vision for the Children’s National Heart Center and told the team more about his clinical and research priorities.

Q: Why did you choose Children’s National?

A: Children’s National has such a long history of caring for the children and families in the community — over 150 years. This is a hospital taking fantastic care of patients now, but also planning for the future and the future of healthcare specifically. And I wanted to be part of that team. We know health care is ever changing and I want to be ahead of that, really providing the best care possible for today’s patients and about how to plan the ideal care for tomorrow’s patients.

I’m also excited to work with Children’s National President and CEO Michelle Riley-Brown. When I worked with her previously, I found out she’s a fantastic leader. I know she’s already started to do amazing things for Children’s National and the community.

Q: What is your vision for Children’s National Heart Center?

A: My vision for the heart center is to organize, coordinate and optimize all the different aspects of caring for children with heart problems.

It’s a complicated process. There’s intensive care in the hospital, ambulatory care in the clinic, acute care and emergency care. One of my roles is to coalesce all of those facets to provide total care for people from the prenatal period through birth and beyond into the teenage years, adulthood and even parenthood and grandparenthood.

I think we’re well-equipped to do that here at Children’s National.

As part of our commitment to providing the best care for patients and their families, we also plan to rely on our patient-family advisory council and our family-centered care approach. We take patient and family concerns to heart and want to continue bringing that information together with our world-class clinical care. That’s how we’ll be sure to provide great outcomes now and down the road.

Q: How is research a part of your vision for the Heart Center?

A: Research is critical to cardiac disease in children, especially in Washington, D.C. I think we’re very fortunate because people here at Children’s National are doing groundbreaking research and we work close to truly great scientific organizations like the George Washington University and the National Institutes of Health. Some of our heart center faculty actually work at the NIH too.

The top centers in the country, including Children’s National, are involved with cutting-edge innovation and research alongside clinical care and a big part of my job is to support these efforts to translate this science and help improve health outcomes for our patients.

Q: Why did you choose to work in the field of pediatric cardiology?  

A: While children with heart problems can become very sick, our advances in cardiac surgery, catheter interventions, cardiac intensive care and anesthesia allow us to work together to make them better reasonably quickly. To be able to provide them that care is really rewarding. Our team can really impact their health for a lifetime.

Q: What research are you, personally, interested in?

A: The research that I’m particularly interested in involves the full gamut of cardiac disease, from single ventricle physiology to pulmonary hypertension to fetal cardiology to women with heart disease. Fortunately, here at Children’s National there is a strong research infrastructure and some fantastic physician scientists.

Q: How did your interest in pediatric cardiology evolve into a specialty in adult congenital heart disease?  

A: When these kids grow up, they become adults with heart disease that is caused by their congenital heart lesions. It’s a different type of heart disease than an age-related heart attack, high cholesterol or stroke. I focused on this area many years ago because there are now more adults with congenital heart disease than children.

Currently, there is a need for more adult congenital heart disease specialists and there will continue to be need for even more in the future. I’m fortunate to join one of the best adult congenital heart programs in the country by coming to Children’s National.

Q: How do you spend your free time when you aren’t here at the hospital?

A: I work a lot but when I get time away from work, I love to spend my it with my family and I’m lucky to have a truly spectacular wife. In December, we’ll celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary and it’s been an extraordinary and exciting ride. We have two wonderful kids, both teenagers. Being a father myself has given me a different perspective about taking care of children throughout their lifetimes.

Q: What’s your favorite Washington, D.C., monument?

A: I always have to go back to the Lincoln Memorial. It was the first monument I saw on an 8th grade trip. I still remember the moment when I first walked up there…you see him. Incredible. He is literally larger than life, it’s just breathtaking. I think I’ll always remember that feeling.

Wayne J. Franklin, M.D., F.A.C.C., named senior vice president of Children’s National Heart Center

Wayne Franklin, M.D., F.A.C.C.

Dr. Franklin will oversee the full spectrum of heart care services including cardiac imaging and diagnostics, interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, cardiac anesthesia, cardiac surgery and cardiac intensive care.

Children’s National Hospital has appointed Wayne J. Franklin, M.D., F.A.C.C., as the new senior vice president (SVP) of the Children’s National Heart Center. In this role, Dr. Franklin will oversee the full spectrum of heart care services including cardiac imaging and diagnostics, interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, cardiac anesthesia, cardiac surgery and cardiac intensive care. He joins us from Phoenix Children’s in Arizona and starts June 2024.

Dr. Franklin currently serves as co-director, medical director of Quality and endowed chair in the Center for Heart Care and associate director of the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program at Phoenix Children’s. He’s also a professor of Child Health, Medicine, and Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix.

Dr. Franklin is involved with research focused on adults with congenital heart disease, specifically single ventricle-Fontan physiology, neurocognitive outcomes, pulmonary hypertension, cardiac disease in pregnancy and transition medicine. After a national search, he stood out for his clinical and research accomplishments, as well as his demonstrated ability as a visionary leader and mentor.

“I look forward to leading the exceptional Heart Center team at Children’s National, as we contribute to advancing pediatric cardiac care and research,” said Dr. Franklin. “There is a clear dedication to clinical excellence and innovation, and together we’ll continue to advance the field and make a lasting impact on the lives of the children and families we serve.”

Dr. Franklin is a graduate of Williams College in Williamstown, MA, and UCLA School of Medicine. He completed his residency training in internal medicine and pediatrics at Duke University. He then completed two simultaneous fellowships in adult cardiology and pediatric cardiology at St. Luke’s/Texas Heart Institute and at Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston.

“Dr. Franklin brings a wealth of expertise and steadfast leadership that will undoubtedly strengthen the foundation of our cardiac program,” said David Wessel, M.D., executive vice president, chief medical officer and physician-in-chief at Children’s National. “Together with our Heart Center leadership team, he will ensure we’re meeting the highest standards of safety, quality and innovative care for our patients and families.”

The Children’s National Heart Center is a multidisciplinary center that provides high-quality and innovative pediatric cardiac care. In his role as SVP, Dr. Franklin will lead our Heart Center to new heights in pediatric heart care, innovation and education, working together with Yves d’Udekem, M.D., Ph.D., chief of the Division of Cardiac Surgery, Ricardo Muñoz, M.D., chief of the Division of Cardiac Critical Care Medicine and Andrew Waberski, M.D., director of Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesia.

Albert Oh, M.D., receives 2020 Emerging Leader Award from the ACPA

Albert Oh

Albert Oh, M.D., Director of the Cleft and Craniofacial Program at Children’s National Hospital.

The American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA) recognized Albert Oh, M.D., with the 2020 Emerging Leader Award. This award is given to professionals who have been members of ACPA between three to 15 years, and who exhibit exemplary accomplishments and dedication to the issues affecting people with cleft and craniofacial conditions.

The ACPA is an association consisting of professionals who treat and/or perform research on cleft and craniofacial conditions. The nonprofit organization also supports those affected through education and resources through its ACPA Family Services program.

As the director of the Cleft and Craniofacial Program at Children’s National Hospital, Dr. Oh is a leader in the research, surgical treatment and holistic care of cleft and craniofacial patients. He has published over 75 peer-reviewed scientific articles and book chapters. Dr. Oh’s current research interests include the outcomes and safety of cleft and craniofacial procedures, 3-D analysis of craniofacial morphology, Pierre Robin sequence and vascular anomalies.

Dr. Oh says that “It is an honor to be recognized by the ACPA and to share their mission of advancing research and improving outcomes for all those affected by cleft and craniofacial conditions.”

Dr. Oh will be presented with his award during the ACPA’s 77th Annual Meeting in Portland, Or.

Children’s National Hospital: Starting the new year with strong leadership

Drs. Tarini, Steinhorn, and Beers

Drs. Tarini, Steinhorn and Beers are also in leadership roles within professional societies, elected by their peers, further highlighting the strength of the leadership at Children’s National and professional respect within the health care community.

Three Children’s National Hospital executives are also in leadership roles within professional societies, elected by their peers, further highlighting the strength of the leadership at Children’s National and professional respect within the health care community.

Lee Savio Beers, M.D., FAAP, medical director of Community Health and Advocacy at the Child Health Advocacy Institute (CHAI) at Children’s National, was elected by her peers to become president-elect of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) beginning Jan. 1, 2020. Dr. Beers will then serve as AAP president in 2021 for a one-year term.

“I am humbled and honored to have the support of my peers in taking on this newest leadership role,” says Dr. Beers. “AAP has been a part of my life since I first became a pediatrician, and my many leadership roles in the DC chapter and national AAP have given me a glimpse of the collective good we pediatricians can accomplish by working together toward common strategic goals.”

Dr. Beers is looking forward to continuing her work bringing together the diverse voices of pediatricians, children and families as well as other organizations to support improving the health of all children.

Robin Steinhorn, M.D., senior vice president of the Center for Hospital-Based Specialties at Children’s National was elected by her peers to become Vice President and President-elect of the American Pediatric Society (APS) in May 2018 and she is currently serving her role as the Society’s president, which began in May 2019.

“This is a tremendous honor. I look forward to leveraging the collective leadership and research accomplishments by our members to improve the health of infants and children throughout the U.S.,” said Dr. Steinhorn.

Dr. Steinhorn is particularly passionate about mentoring faculty and supporting the growth and career development of young neonatologists and scientists, with several having developed their own research laboratories and assumed division and department leadership positions. She was selected as a ‘Top Doctor’ by Northern Virginia Magazine in 2019.

Beth A. Tarini, M.D., MS, associate director, Center for Translational Research at The Children’s Research Institute, became vice president of the Society for Pediatric Research (SPR) in May 2019. Dr. Tarini will transition to President-Elect in May 2020 and become President in May 2021.

Dr. Tarini’s personal mission during this tenure will be to ensure that more pediatric researchers get to know SPR and are so excited about the organization that they become active members.

Dr. Tarini says she looks forward to working with other SPR leaders to find ways to build more productive, collaborative professional networks among faculty, especially emerging junior faculty. “Facilitating ways to network for research and professional reasons across pediatric research is vital – albeit easier said than done. I have been told I’m a connector, so I hope to leverage that skill in this new role,” says Dr. Tarini.

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David Wessel to speak at USN’s Healthcare of Tomorrow

David Wessel

The fourth annual U.S. News & World Report Healthcare of Tomorrow conference will take place on Nov. 2 in Washington, DC. The leadership forum, which examines challenges in health care and how we must evolve with policies, society, and technology, will hold children’s hospital sessions for the first time. The topics will include pediatric population health, patient safety, strategic partnerships, and genomic medicine. Children’s National’s David Wessel, M.D., executive vice president and chief medical officer, hospital and specialty services, is scheduled to speak during the event.