TACOMA, Wash. – MultiCare Mary Bridge Children’s and Cincinnati Children’s today announced a collaboration to expand access to pediatric cardiology, congenital heart care and complex pediatric heart surgery in the Pacific Northwest.
Together, the two organizations aim to provide local access to heart care for pediatric patients so they can stay close to home. The health systems will collaborate on medical decision-making and programmatic design for the care of patients in Tacoma. Mary Bridge Children’s Heart Center will recruit top-tier talent and work with Cincinnati Children’s to optimize medical education, training, and quality improvement programs to ensure seamless care delivery for pediatric heart patients in the Pacific Northwest. This announcement coincides with Mary Bridge Children’s opening its new, free-standing children’s hospital this spring.
“This is another tangible way to fulfill our mission of partnering for healing and a healthy future for all kids,” said Jeff Poltawsky, president and market leader of Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital & Health Network. “We’re excited to bring the expertise of Cincinnati Children’s to our region, enhancing heart care options for children and families throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond.”
The Cincinnati Children’s Heart Institute works with health systems around the nation and abroad to offer resources, expertise and shared clinical decision-making for patients with complex and challenging heart conditions. Collaborations are designed to expand access to world-class heart care no matter where patients live.
“Working together enables us to offer our expertise to kids all over the country and the world who might never come to Cincinnati,” said Michael Gaies, MD, executive co-director of the Heart Institute and director of the Division of Cardiology. “We know the burden that traveling to obtain health care puts on families. Our heart experts at Cincinnati Children’s will work with clinicians at Mary Bridge Children’s to keep patients at their home hospital.”
In addition to Mary Bridge Children’s, collaborations with Cincinnati Children’s Heart Institute include Golisano Children’s at UK in Lexington, Ky., Akron Children’s in Ohio, and Peyton Manning Children’s in Indianapolis.
“We provide consultative support and collaboration through joint case reviews that include surgeons, cardiologists and other specialists as well as integrated care management and surgical planning,” said David Morales, MD, executive co-director of the Cincinnati Children’s Heart Institute and director of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery. “Our focus is on shared decision making and partnering on best practices with a particular emphasis on quality improvement initiatives.”
Mary Bridge Children’s has a long history of providing heart care, and over the past three years the hospital has worked to establish a comprehensive heart center.
“This collaboration represents a transformative moment for heart care in our region,” said Amy Winsor, assistant vice president of strategy and operations at Mary Bridge Children’s Heart Center. “By combining the nationally recognized expertise of Cincinnati Children’s with our commitment to local families, we are ensuring that children with even the most complex heart conditions can receive world-class care close to home. It’s about hope, innovation and putting kids first.”
Mary Bridge Children’s Heart Center is accepting new patients and will open a dedicated clinic in the newly expanded Mary Bridge Children’s Outpatient Center this spring. One of the first steps in launching the heart center in 2025 was to hire an experienced clinical leader, Jorge Salazar, MD., who hails from the Pacific Northwest.
“Cincinnati Children’s has consistently been recognized as an international center of excellence for safety, quality and patient outcomes,” said Salazar, executive medical director and chief cardiac surgeon at Mary Bridge Children’s Heart Center. “Our mission is to offer hope to families and help patients live their best and fullest lives by prioritizing safety, providing exceptional care, and working alongside other experts in the field. It is truly an honor to do this in collaboration with the team at Cincinnati Children’s.”
About Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital
Founded in 1955, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital is the state-designated Level II Pediatric Trauma Center for Western Washington. Offering comprehensive care and resources for critically ill and injured children, Mary Bridge Children’s is the only pediatric hospital in Southwest Washington. Mary Bridge Children’s also provides primary, specialty, therapy and urgent care services at its outpatient centers and clinics across the Puget Sound region, including Tacoma, Puyallup, Gig Harbor, Olympia, Auburn, Covington, Maple Valley, Federal Way, Renton, Bonney Lake and Silverdale.
Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital & Health Network believes that kids should be at the front of the line. More than a place of hope and healing, Mary Bridge Children’s is a place where expert care helps kids get back to doing what they do best: being kids. Mary Bridge Children’s serves children and families, regardless of ability to pay, thanks to generous contributions to the Mary Bridge Children’s Foundation.
Mary Bridge Children’s is a part of MultiCare Health System, the largest community-based and locally governed health system in Washington state. For more information about Mary Bridge Children’s, visit marybridge.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, or our Kite Strings blog.
About Cincinnati Children’s
Cincinnati Children’s is ranked among the best pediatric health systems in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. As the leader in improving child health, Cincinnati Children’s cares for patients from all 50 states and dozens of countries, including kids with complex or rare disorders. Established in 1883, the academic health system leads the way in healthcare education and pediatric research, where discoveries become innovative treatments and cures that change the outcome for children.
