Children's Hospital is part of the UPMC family.
Our Sites
Be safe anytime, anywhere.
To find a pediatrician or pediatric specialist, please call 412-692-7337 or search our directory.
A resource for our network of referring physicians.
For more information about research, please call our main office at 412-692-6438.
Ranked #6 Nationally by U.S. News & World Report.
Pennsylvania state legislators passed House Act 59, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act, in August of 2012. The intent of the law is to educate children, parents, and coaches about the symptoms that are associated with sudden cardiac death.
The law addresses medical clearance for sports participation. To this end, the specialists at the Heart Institute at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh have produced a suggested algorithm that pediatricians and other physicians may find useful.
As per PA State law (Act 59), a student athlete with the following symptoms must be evaluated by a licensed health care professional: syncope (fainting), dizziness, chest pain, difficulty breathing, and abnormal racing heart. While this list demonstrates what is required by law, licensed health care professionals should use their own judgment in determining whether other symptoms warrant an evaluation.
As pediatric cardiology experts, we at the Heart Institute suggest that licensed health care practitioners, including primary care physicians (PCP) and nurse practitioners, use the following algorithm to evaluate student athletes:
Cardiology evaluation and clearance will be limited to cardiac issues; all other issues (non-cardiac symptoms and diagnoses) will be referred back to PCP for evaluation/clearance.
The above algorithm is intended for educational purposes only and should be used in conjunction with your own clinical judgment. Additionally, the content of this letter is not intended as patient-specific medical advice or legal advice.
The Heart Institute at Children’s encourages pediatricians to continue to use best practices and judgment, above and beyond the above suggestions as clinically indicated. In an emergency, EMS (Emergency Medical Services) should be contacted or patient should be taken to the nearest emergency room.
If you have questions, feel free to contact us or our nurse practitioners through Children's Hospital's Cardiology nurse’s line at 412-692-5759.
Children's Hospital's main campus is located in the Lawrenceville neighborhood. Our main hospital address is:
UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh One Children’s Hospital Way 4401 Penn Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15224
In addition to the main hospital, Children's has many convenient locations in other neighborhoods throughout the greater Pittsburgh region.
With myCHP, you can request appointments, review test results, and more.
For questions about a hospital bill call:
To pay your bill online, please visit UPMC's online bill payment system.
Interested in giving to Children's Hospital? Support the hospital by making a donation online, joining our Heroes in Healing monthly donor program, or visiting our site to learn about the other ways you can give back.