Media | Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Consortium (PC⁴)

About Us
Management Bios
Prior Coverage
Publications
Featured On
Videos
Digital Artwork
Contact Information

ABOUT US

The Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Consortium (PC⁴) aims to improve the quality of care to patients with critical pediatric and congenital cardiovascular disease in North America and abroad. Formed in 2009 with National Institutes of Health funding, PC⁴ is a unique collaborative of leaders in pediatric cardiac critical care, cardiac surgery, and cardiology representing a diverse group of over 60 children’s hospitals across the globe caring for these vulnerable patients. The core pillars of collaborative quality improvement serve as the foundation for PC⁴. Using these pillars, we have been able to improve a variety of outcomes in these children, including the prevention of complications, such as cardiac arrest, and saving hundreds of children’s lives in our member centers.

ABOUT OUR TEAM

Dr. Sarah Tabbutt is the Executive Director of PC⁴. She is a Professor of Pediatrics and a pediatric cardiac intensivist at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. Having trained in cardiology and critical care medicine at Boston Childrens Hospital followed by 10 years at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia with 6 as director of the cardiac intensive care unit, she has spent the last 13 years at UCSF with 6 as director of the cardiac intensive care unit. Dr. Tabbutt has a long history of academic and clinical interest in newborns with single ventricle heart disease, the most severe form of congenital heart disease. She has led multiple research trials and clinical programs devoted to improving care in this patient population and has published nearly 100 research papers about her work. Dr. Tabbutt lives in San Francisco with her husband who is also a pediatric cardiologist and her two daughters.

Dr. Michael Gaies is the founder of PC⁴ and was the first Executive Director of the organization from 2009 to 2019. He is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases at the University of Michigan. He earned his medical degree and Master of Public Health from Harvard Medical School before his pediatric training at Boston Children’s Hospital. He then completed his pediatric cardiology and cardiac critical care training at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and has continued as faculty at Michigan since then. His strong research interests in defining and understanding variation in clinical outcomes and health-care resource utilization between cardiac surgery centers and identifying the cardiac intensive care structure and process variables that drive variation were the impetus for the creation of this organization. Dr. Gaies collaborates with researchers who direct regional and national quality improvement collaboratives in pediatric and congenital cardiac care and across other specialties. He also is the co-founder and co-Director of Cardiac Networks United. He lives in Ann Arbor, MI with his wife and two daughters.

PRIOR COVERAGE

Speeding Up Recovery for Children Undergoing Heart Surgery, Nov 18, 2019; Michigan Health News:
https://labblog.uofmhealth.org/rounds/speeding-up-recovery-for-children-undergoing-heart-surgery

Reducing Cardiac Arrests Among Pediatric Heart Patients, Nov 18, 2019; Michigan Health News:
https://labblog.uofmhealth.org/rounds/reducing-cardiac-arrests-among-pediatric-heart-patients

Critical Pediatric Heart Deaths Drop by 24% at Hospitals With Cardiac ICUs, Nov 25, 2019; Michigan Health News:
https://labblog.uofmhealth.org/rounds/critical-pediatric-heart-deaths-drop-by-24-at-hospitals-cardiac-icus

Breaking Down Barriers in the Fight Against Congenital Heart Disease, Sep 13, 2019;
https://labblog.uofmhealth.org/rounds/breaking-down-barriers-fight-against-congenital-heart-disease

Improving ECMO Strategies, Outcomes for Children with Critical Cardiac Disease, Mar 19, 2017;
https://labblog.uofmhealth.org/body-work/improving-ecmo-strategies-outcomes-for-children-critical-cardiac-disease

PUBLICATIONS

A handful of our most recent groundbreaking publications include:

Gaies M, Pasquali SK, Banerjee M, et al. Improvement in Pediatric Cardiac Surgical Outcomes Through Interhospital Collaboration. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019 Dec 3;74(22):2786-2795. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2019.09.046. PMID: 31779793; PMCID: PMC6981276. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31779793/

DeWitt AG, Rossano JW, Bailly, DK, et al. Predicting and Surviving Prolonged Critical Illness After Congenital Heart Surgery, Critical Care Medicine: July 2020 – Volume 48 – Issue 7 – p e557-e564 doi: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000004354. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32574468/

Hart SA, Tanel RE, Kipps AK, et al. Intensive Care Unit and Acute Care Unit Length of Stay After Congenital Heart Surgery. Ann Thorac Surg. 2020 Oct;110(4):1396-1403. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2020.01.033. Epub 2020 Feb 28. PMID: 32114048. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32114048/

Lasa JJ, Gaies M, Bush L, et al. Epidemiology and Outcomes of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure in Children. Circ Heart Fail. 2020 Apr;13(4):e006101. doi: 10.1161/ CIRCHEARTFAILURE.119.006101. Epub 2020 Apr 17. PMID: 32301336; PMCID: PMC7169981. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32301336/

A full list of our publications can be found here: https://pc4quality.org/news-publications/

FEATURED ON

The PC⁴ Story – Past, Present, Future
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/episode-18-the-pc4-story-past-present-future/id1253068670?i=1000464916718

Interhospital Collaboration Improves Congenital Heart Surgical Outcomes
https://www.stitcher.com/show/pediheartpediatric-cardiology-today/episode/pediheart-podcast-96-interhospital-collaboration-improves-congenital-heart-surgical-outcomes-65825062

Our work has also been presented at nearly every national conference related to cardiology,
cardiac surgery, and critical care medicine over the last 6 years.

VIDEOS

PC⁴: Saving Lives in Cardiac Critical Care
https://youtu.be/YEkNI4OqGfI

Congenital Heart Disease Treatment: Breaking Down Barriers to Improve Care
https://youtu.be/jkAeYACBQj0

DIGITAL ARTWORK/LOGOS

2023 Toronto Conference Posters

Primary Author/Presenter	Title	Center	Download
Maria Balbin and Mekdela Tirfe	Improving Data Entry for PC4 and PAC3 in CardioAccess by Utilizing a Custom Standardized Data Flowsheet in Cerner	Children’s National Medical Center	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Mekdela+Tirfe+ImprovingDataEntry_TorontoFINAL.pdf
Jeanette Belan and Fatemat Hassan	Engaging Providers in Discharge Caregiver Education to Decrease Medication Errors – A Quality Improvement Projects in the Children’s Heart Institute	Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, The University of Texas Helth Sciences Center at Houston	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Jeanette+Belan+Poster-medication+teaching.zip
Tara Cosgrove and Julie Aldrich	PROMISE: PRO-active Mitigiation to decrease Serious Adverse Events	Nationwide Childen’s Hospital	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Tara+Cosgrove+Poster.pptx
Kimberly DiMaria and Jamie Penk	Implementation of a Multiphase, Multi-institutional QI Initiative to Decrease Opioid and Benzodiazepine Exposure in CICU Patients	Children’s Hospital Colorado, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Jamie+Penk+PC4RPPPoster(1).pptx
			https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Kimberly+DiMaria+1.pdf
			https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Kimberly+DiMaria+2.pdf
Chelsea Hughes, Hilary Patteson, Kimberly DiMaria and Carly Scahill	1st Five Minute Drills: Using Simulation to Improve Resuscitation Team Performance in a Pediatric Cardiac Acute Care Unit	Children’s Hospital Colorado	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Chelsea+Hughes+Medical+Interpreter+Use+CPCU+PAC3.PC4.pptx
Carly Scahill	Internal Automated PC4 Data Abstraction	Children’s Hospital Colorado	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/2023_PAC3.PC4_AbstractionTool.pdf
Catherine Dimes	Sustaining Improvements in CLABSI Reduction in a Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit	Nationwide Childen’s Hospital	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Catt+Dimes.CLABSI+Poster+2022+final+(withKKD)-+updated+4-2023.pptx
Cassidy Golden	A Quality Improvement Initiative to Reduce Surgical Site Infections In Pediatric Patients After Cardiothoracic Surgery, Cassidy Golden	Emory University – Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Cassidy+Golden.pdf
Elysia Harshman	Implementation of a Discharge Nurse Role in the Acute Care Cardiology Unit	Children’s Health	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Elysia+Harshman+Poster.pptx
Margot Hillyer	Antimicrobial Stewardship and Improved Antibiotic Utilization in the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit	Emory University – Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Margot+Hillyer+Poster+1.pptx
Margot Hillyer	Standardize the Diagnosis and Treatment of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Infants with Congenital Heart Disease	Emory University – Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Margot+Hillyer+Poster+2.pptx
Chelsea Hughes	Improving Medical Interpreter Usage during Medical Rounds for Limited English Proficiency Families in a Pediatric Cardiac Acute Care Unit	Children’s Hospital Colorado	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Chelsea+Hughes.pptx
Julie Kuzin	NG Free: Delayed Feeding Tube Removal May Prolong Hospitalization	Texas Children’s Hospital	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Julia+Kuzin+PAC3+Poster.pptx
Sarah Lagergren	Implementation of a Fast-Track Post Operative Clinical Pathway for Straightforward Cardiovascular Surgery Patient Population	Children’s Mercy Hospital	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Darcie+Al-Hassan+Fast+Track+PC4+Poster.pdf
Nina Nacpil	Implementation of central venous catheter tubing setup to decrease the risk of femoral inserted central line-associated bloodstream infections in a pediatric cardiothoracic intensive care unit	Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Nina+Nacpil.+PC4+CVC+Tubing+Setup+Poster+4.20.pdf
Joyce Northrup, Anne Thomas and Rich Lion	Decreasing Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infections in a Developing Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit	Dell Children’s Hospital	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Joyce+Northrup.pptx
Mary Pacheco	Implementation of a Staff Engagement Committee on a Pediatric Acute Care Cardiology Unit Addressing Nursing Burnout	Children’s Health	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Mary+Pacheco+Poster.pptx
Trisha Patel and Anna-Claire Marrone	Creation and Implementation of an Institutional Postoperative Norwood Course Correction Process	Emory University – Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Trisha+Patel+Poster.pptx
Loren D. Sacks	Mortality Events in Patients with Heart Disease: A Novel Process for Rapid Review, Classification, and Identification and Implementation of Countermeasures	Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Loren+Sacks.+FARRM+PCICS+2023.pdf
Brittany Shutes	Identifying and Screening for Pediatric Delirium in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit: Provider Education Intervention	Nationwide Children’s Hospital	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Brittany+Shutes+Poster.pptx
Stephanie Squires and Alaina Kipps	A Quality Improvement Initiative to Improve Discharge Medication Education on a Pediatric Cardiology Unit	Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Alaina+Kipps.+Stephanie+Squires+-+MAP+Poster+Updated+2023+v3+4.10.23+-+edited+copy.pptx. https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Stephanie+Squires+Alaina+K.+Kipps+Poster.pptx
Kaitlin Tindel	Improving Medication Safety for Pediatric Patients: Utilization of a Simplified Digoxin Order Panel	Children’s Health	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Kaitlin+Tindel.PAC3+Poster+Presentation+2023_Digoxin+Order+Panel_Final+Exhalt+Version.pptx
Alaa Aljiffry	Risk Factors for Adverse Events Among the Norwood Patients: A Single Center Retrospective Study	Emory University – Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Alaa+Aljiffry+CHOA+Poster+Proof+3.pdf
Suzanne Hilt	Early Enteral Feeding in Infants with Prolonged Ventilation after Congenital Heart Surgery	Golisano Children’s Hospital, University of Rochester	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Hilt%2C+Suzanne+Poster.pdf
Megan Rodts	Characterizing Acute Care Cardiology Central Venous Catheter Use and Complications	Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Megan+Rodts+Poster+1.pptx
Megan Rodts	OpenNotes in Pediatric Acute Care Cardiology: Collective Experiences of Caregivers and Providers in a Single Center	Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Megan+Rodts+Poster+2.pptx
Wendy Torres and Jamie Penk	Periods of Low Renal Perfusion Pressure are Associated with Acute Kidney Injury following Pediatric Cardiac Surgery	Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago	https://pc4-posters.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/PC4RPPPoster(1).pptx