Renowned Pediatric Interventional Cardiologist Leads New Division of Pediatric Cardiology/Fetal and Adult Congenital Heart Center at Saint Peter’s Children’s Hospital

Dr. Verma's expertise and leadership not only expands regional access to highly specialized care, but his approach includes collaboration with existing specialists at Saint Peter's including those from Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Neonatology, Pediatric Critical Care, and other pediatric specialties. A pediatric interventional cardiologist, Dr. Verma is board-certified in pediatric cardiology and adult congenital heart disease. He completed his fellowship at New York University Medical Center and senior clinical fellowship in Interventional Cardiac Catheterization at Boston Children's Hospital.

"Congenital heart disease refers to conditions present at birth and can affect patients of all ages," said Dr. Verma. "At Saint Peter's, we are focused on quality of care while leveraging new technologies to provide advanced treatments for congenital heart disease close to home without open-heart surgery, when possible."

Treatment for congenital heart disease depends on the type and severity of the condition. Some children require only careful monitoring with regular checkups and imaging. Others may need medication to support heart function or control their symptoms. For more complex conditions, interventional procedures or surgery may be necessary.
The program is designed to provide coordinated heart care for patients at every stage of life - from before birth to adulthood - with services that include:

1. - Fetal echocardiography for expectant mothers who may be at increased risk of having a baby with a heart condition. If a concern is identified before birth, the care team works closely with obstetricians and maternal-fetal medicine specialists to plan a safe delivery and immediate follow-up. When a fetal heart concern is detected, early diagnosis helps families and physicians prepare for delivery and any care the baby may need after birth.
2. - Newborn and pediatric consultations to evaluate, diagnose, and manage all forms of congenital heart disease, no matter how complex. The program also provides cardiac consultation for children with suspected or confirmed acquired heart conditions such as Kawasaki disease, myocarditis, pulmonary hypertension, and recurrent fainting.
3. - Adult congenital heart care for individuals who were born with heart defects and continue to need specialized follow-up care into adulthood. More than half of Dr. Verma's patients are adults living with congenital heart disease, a population that often struggles to find ongoing specialized cardiac care.
4. - Cardiac evaluation during pregnancy for women who themselves had congenital heart disease as children. These women require additional cardiac evaluation during pregnancy to ensure their heart function is stable and to help guide their delivery. This is an important aspect of care for adults with congenital heart disease that will be introduced for the first time at Saint Peter's.
5. - Exercise testing and pulmonary function testing to provide additional assessment of the cardiac functional state of children and adults with congenital heart disease.

"Dr. Verma's career has been defined by a commitment to high-quality care for all patients," said Siva Jonna, MD, chair, Department of Pediatrics, and physician-in-chief of Saint Peter's Children's Hospital. "He cares for families from diverse communities and believes that every child deserves the same level of attention and expertise. By combining experience, access, and a patient-centered approach, Saint Peter's Children's Hospital is expanding its role as a trusted resource for heart care in New Jersey."
According to Leslie D. Hirsch, FACHE, president and CEO of Saint Peter's Healthcare System, "Dr. Verma's presence at Saint Peter's will enhance access to highly specialized services, improve quality, and provide an elevated experience for families and communities served by Saint Peter's Children's Hospital. To better serve the growing demand for critical care services in New Jersey, I'm proud to announce we are near completion of our expanded and modernized Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), which consistently is one of the busiest in the state."
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Verma, call 732.339.7460.

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About Saint Peter's Children's Hospital
Saint Peter's Children's Hospital is a state-designated acute care children's hospital and Regional Perinatal Center sponsored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen that provides families with access to a full range of pediatric specialties, including a nationally renowned Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a dedicated Pediatric Emergency Department, adolescent medicine, cancer care, diabetes, orthopedics, surgery, developmental pediatrics, gastroenterology, allergy and immunology, infectious disease medicine, cardiology, nephrology, neurology, pediatric intensive care, pulmonary/sleep medicine, audiology and physical therapy. Other programs and services include Medical Genetics and Genomic Medicine, which counsels, tests and treats children with rare diseases; the Craniofacial and Neurosurgical Center, which offers corrective surgery and multidisciplinary support for children born with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities; the Dorothy B. Hersh Regional Child Protection Center, a state-designated regional Diagnostic and Treatment Center for child abuse prevention; and the Center for Diabetes Self-Management and Education, which diagnoses and treats children with diabetes and other endocrine disorders.

Saint Peter's has received advanced certification in Perinatal Care and Level IV Maternal Levels of Care verification from the Joint Commission and the Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses for its Neonatal Intensive Care and Pediatric Intensive Care Units. Saint Peter's University Hospital has been redesignated as a Magnet® hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center of the American Nurses Association, making Saint Peter's one of only five hospitals worldwide at the time to receive this designation for seven consecutive terms, and for the first time, with Distinction®.

Visit saintpetershcs.com/childrenshospital or call 732.565.KIDS [5437].