This week, two nationally recognized area cardiovascular programs announced an extension of their partnership. The collaboration between Atlantic Health System‘s Morristown Medical Center and NYU Langone Health focuses on adult congenital heart disease.

The two organizations partnered in 2021 on organ transplantation. This expanded partnership aims to improve access to adult congenital heart disease services as well as specialist directed care that will improve the quality of life for patients.

Officials from the two health systems note there are nearly 2 million adults living in the United States with congenital heart disease. Additionally, the disease affects nearly 1%, or 40,000, births per year in the country.

“This collaborative approach with our colleagues at NYU Langone will provide congenital heart disease patients the specialized care they require to live better lives,” said Claire Boccia Liang, medical director of adult congenital heart disease at AHS.

“Our clinical affiliation continues to build and strengthen our cardiovascular relationship with NYU Langone and our nationally ranked cardiology program here at our Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute based at Morristown Medical Center,” said Trish O’Keefe, senior vice president and chief nurse executive, Atlantic Health System, and president, Morristown Medical Center. “Patients will now have more convenient access, closer to home for highly specialized cardiovascular care and will benefit from the physician expertise from both organizations.”

Dan Halpern, program director of NYU Langone Health’s adult congenital heart disease program, said the partnership will provide advanced adult congenital heart disease care to patients in the Garden State.

“Allowing them to stay in their local community,” he added.

High marks

Morristown Medical Center recently scored well on two health care industry rankings:

• Newsweek’s 2024 World’s Best Hospitals
• Healthgrades’ 2024 America’s Best Hospitals