Saint Peter’s Children’s Hospital announced on March 30 the appointment of Dr. Rajiv Verma as leader of its new Division of Pediatric Cardiology/Fetal and Adult Congenital Heart Center, aiming to provide comprehensive congenital heart care locally.
The creation of this division is intended to expand access to specialized cardiac services for children and adults with congenital heart disease in New Jersey. The hospital said the program will offer coordinated care from before birth through adulthood, addressing a growing need for lifelong management of these conditions.
Dr. Verma, described by Saint Peter’s as a renowned pediatric interventional cardiologist with decades of clinical experience, will work alongside specialists in Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Neonatology, Pediatric Critical Care, and other fields. He is board-certified in both pediatric cardiology and adult congenital heart disease and has completed fellowships at New York University Medical Center and 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.”
The center will offer fetal echocardiography for expectant mothers at risk, newborn consultations for various forms of congenital or acquired heart disease such as Kawasaki disease or myocarditis, adult follow-up care for those born with defects, pregnancy evaluations for women with childhood heart conditions, as well as exercise and pulmonary function testing.
Siva Jonna, MD, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Saint Peter’s Children’s Hospital said: “Dr. Verma’s career has been defined by a commitment to high-quality care for all patients… 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.”
Leslie D. Hirsch, president and CEO of Saint Peter’s Healthcare System said: “Dr. Verma’s presence at Saint Peter’s will enhance access to highly specialized services… 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.”
Saint Peter’s Children’s Hospital offers an array of pediatric specialties including neonatal intensive care—recognized nationally—and holds certifications such as Magnet status from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
