AdventHealth launches exclusive pediatric cardiology services in Marion County

May 24, 2021 — Ocala, FL – AdventHealth Ocala is the only hospital in Marion County providing specialized pediatric cardiology services, helping families receive exceptional heart care close to home. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 40,000 infants in the United States are born with a congenital heart defect each year.

Pediatric cardiologist Dr. Ashish Patel and his team at Children's Specialty Clinic at AdventHealth Ocala are equipped with the most advanced care to help get even the tiniest hearts back on track. The team specializes in general pediatric cardiology and fetal cardiology, putting the smallest patients and their families at the heart of their care. Dr. Patel most recently provided EKG, ECG and stress tests as needed for any Marion County high school students who received free sports physicals at AdventHealth Wellness Center Ocala.

“We are excited to expand our expert cardiology care to our pediatric community,” said Dr. Michael Torres, Chief Medical Officer at AdventHealth Ocala. “Our community is continuously growing and so is our care to meet the needs of even our smallest patients. We look forward to being the first and only choice for expert heart care for families in our community.”

Children’s Specialty Clinic at AdventHealth Ocala extends the connected AdventHealth network of care to provide continuity of pediatric care that doesn’t require families to transfer to other health care systems.

AdventHealth Ocala the only hospital providing birthing services, level-2 NICU care, a dedicated children’s emergency department, and a pediatric inpatient unit for families in the area.

About AdventHealth Ocala

AdventHealth Ocala is a 410-bed full-service community hospital that opened in 1898. In August 2018, AdventHealth Ocala became a part of the AdventHealth network. The facility is 640,000 square feet and sits on 15-acres. Within the hospital network there are two 24/7 ER facilities, one onsite and another offsite, to better meet the needs of Marion County. The onsite ER has both an adult and children’s emergency department that has over 50 combined beds with the ability to treat many conditions and injuries. Established in 2002, the offsite ER, AdventHealth TimberRidge ER, is a 24-hour full-service emergency department with 16 private rooms and was the first offsite ER in the state of Florida. The hospital offers many inpatient services including, labor and delivery through The Baby Place®, Orthopedic unit, comprehensive cardiovascular surgery unit, and a wound care center. AdventHealth Ocala is accredited The Joint Commission and has received recognition from American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. They are accredited by the College of Cardiology in Chest Pain, Heart Failure, Cardiac Cath Lab, and Transcatheter Valve Certified. They are also a Certified Advanced Primary Stroke Center as well as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery.

About AdventHealth for Children

AdventHealth for Children is a nationally recognized children’s hospital and network of pediatric specialists, programs and care facilities that sets the standard for innovation, quality and comprehensive care. The flagship facility in Orlando, designed by Walt Disney Imagineers, is the heart of a network that includes primary care, 140+ specialists practicing 35 subspecialties, specialty clinics, pediatric rehabilitation, emergency departments and Centra Care Kids urgent care.

Among AdventHealth for Children’s clinical areas of focus:

• A Comprehensive Heart Center with a multidisciplinary team including congenital heart disease experts and elite pediatric cardiovascular surgeons

• A Level IV Comprehensive Pediatric Epilepsy Center featuring the highest designation awarded by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers

• The only pediatric liver transplant program in Central Florida, in partnership with UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh

• The only pediatric bone marrow transplant in Central Florida, internationally accredited by FACT (Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy)

AdventHealth for Children is also a two-time Magnet designated hospital by the ANCC and is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the Best Children's Hospital for newborn care in Florida.