Pediatric Heart Transplant Program- Conversation with Dr. Frank Scholl

For some children diagnosed with a severe congenital heart defect or end-stage heart disease such as cardiomyopathy, transplantation offers a second chance at life.

One of only three pediatric heart transplant programs in Florida, and the most active program in South Florida, the Heart Transplant Program at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Heart Institute provides highly-specialized cardiac transplantation and heart failure management for children with a variety of life-threatening cardiac conditions.

Recognized for its excellence and comprehensive approach to cardiac care, the pediatric heart transplant program is led by Maryanne Chrisant, MD, who has an established reputation for helping pediatric heart transplant programs grow and thrive. Her expertise, paired with the collective experience of our highly-skilled healthcare team, has resulted in a program that offers world-class cardiac care.

Dr. Scholl came to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in 2006 from Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he was Assistant Professor in the Department of Cardiac Surgery and Surgical Director of Heart Transplantation and Director of the Cardiac Assist Device Program. Prior to that, he was Interim Chief of Cardiac Surgery at Nashville Veterans Administration Medical Center.

Under Dr. Scholl’s direction, the Heart Institute at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital has seen significant growth in volume and complexity of cases. According to The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the multidisciplinary team is caring for more acute conditions and has reduced mortality rates to among the lowest in the nation.