Boston Adult Congenital Heart (BACH) and Pulmonary Hypertension | Patient Experience

The Boston Adult Congenital Heart (BACH) and Pulmonary Hypertension Program provides comprehensive care to adults living with congenital heart disease (CHD). We welcome all new patients. We also welcome patients who have been cared for at Boston Children’s Hospital since infancy and are transitioning to our team after reaching adulthood.

We understand that changing providers can be difficult, but our team of experts is here to make your transition to BACH as seamless as possible. This guide provides an overview of scheduling procedures and our patient-focused clinics.

The BACH team schedules patient appointments six to eight months in advance to reduce scheduling conflicts and the need for appointment reschedules.

After your visit, there is no need to go to the check-out desk to schedule your annual visit. Your BACH care provider will place a return-to-clinic order to specify appropriate testing and timing for follow-up, and our administrative team will reach out to schedule your follow-up appointment. If you have questions about your follow-up appointment or need to discuss appointment scheduling, you can call our team (617-355-6508) anytime between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., or reach out anytime through the MyChildren’s patient portal. (Calls outside of business hours will be directed to voicemail; we will call back the following business day.) You can also fax (617-730-7540) medical records and lab results.

The BACH team is passionate about patient care. That is why we hold specialty clinics on heart conditions, treatments, and care management to educate and answer patients’ questions. Clinics include:

• Adult Fontan: A partnership between clinicians from Boston Children’s Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), the clinic aims to improve clinical care for adults with Fontan circulation. The clinic is run by Dr. Fred Wu.
• Pregnancy and Cardiovascular Disease: The BACH team works closely with Boston Children’s Maternal Fetal Care Center (MFCC), in affiliation with Brigham and Women’s Hospital, to provide pre-conception counseling and care throughout pregnancy. Patients who have CHD, structural heart disease, cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, hypertensive disorders, and vascular conditions are welcome to attend. The clinic is led by Dr. Anne Marie Valente and Dr. Fernando Baraona Reyes and is held weekly at BWH.
• Aortopathy and Connective Tissue Disease: Led by Dr. Michael Singh, the program places a strong emphasis on genetics, incorporates regular cardiac imaging assessments, and offers prenatal consultations. Its growth over the past several years has resulted in the establishment of monthly clinics at Baystate Medical Center, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, and Boston Children's Physicians Milford.
• Combined ACHD/Advanced Heart Failure: Patients can simultaneously see the BACH team and BWH heart failure specialists in this collaborative clinic that focuses on adult CHD and advanced heart failure.
• Palliative Care: Palliative care is embedded within the BACH program and is led by Dr. Michael Landzberg. Goals include facilitating conversations about serious illness and building adaptive coping skills for patients and families.

Our BACH providers see patients every weekday and are quick to arrange urgent visits if needed. Visit this page for clinic locations.

Our team is available via phone call (617-355-6508) during regular business hours between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., or you can message us any time through the MyChildren’s patient portal. Please note that portal messages are only checked during regular business hours. We will do our best to respond to your message within 48 hours.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 and proceed to the nearest emergency room.