Second Opinions for Pediatric Heart Conditions

If your child has been diagnosed with a heart condition, or if you have adult congenital heart disease, you probably have a lot of questions: What’s the best path forward? Am I asking the right questions? Are we in the best place for care?

Experts in the Heart Institute at Children’s Hospital Colorado offer second opinions to answer all your questions and make sure you or your child receives the best possible treatment.

We offer second opinions for a wide range of pediatric heart conditions, including those that require intervention or surgery. Our team of experts uses the latest technology such as 3D modeling of the heart and other innovative approaches to inform their recommendations. Our Heart Institute has over 20 subspecialty programs that care for all types of congenital heart disease.

What are the benefits of a second opinion from the Heart Institute at Children’s Colorado?

• A second opinion directed to the Heart Institute is free.
• We make every effort to respond to second opinion requests within 48 business hours.
• Your family is part of the team and has a voice in the process.
• You'll receive advice from leading experts in one of the highest ranked pediatric heart programs in the country.

How to get a second opinion for your child

Our Heart Institute offers two options for getting a second opinion from our cardiology team — in-person and virtual.

In-person second opinions

Getting a second opinion from our experts is easy.

• First, schedule an initial informational phone call using the “Schedule Online” button or by calling the phone number provided below.
• At the time you select, a member of our Heart Institute team will call you and collect your child’s health information.
• After this call, our team will discuss your child’s case and choose the best provider and location for them.
• Next, we will contact you to schedule your in-person appointment with the selected provider.

Virtual second opinions

Our virtual second opinions allow you to get an evaluation from our experts, no matter where you live.

• Fill out our virtual second opinion request form below and a team member of the Heart Institute will contact you to gather your child’s health information.
• During this call, the team member will walk you through the virtual second opinion process and schedule a virtual consultation with the best specialist for your child.

Learn more about our virtual second opinions

Why request a second opinion from Children’s Colorado’s Heart Institute?

At the Heart Institute, we see more, treat more and heal more kids with heart conditions than any other children’s hospital in the Rocky Mountain region. Our outcomes consistently place us as one of the top pediatric heart programs in the country.

We’re the only pediatric heart center in Colorado and one of just a few in the region to share our success rates, so you see the same results we see. We achieve high standards and share our results with pride, so you know you can trust our opinion on your child’s heart care.

If you need an expert opinion to help you make a treatment decision for your child’s heart condition, find comfort in knowing we do that every day.

What specialties or programs offer a second opinion?

Our experts provide second opinions for a wide range of pediatric heart conditions and specialties, including:

• Adult congenital heart disease
• Cardiac catheterization
• Electrophysiology and arrhythmia
• Cardiomyopathy
• Heart transplant
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Single ventricle heart disease
• Cardiac-related genetic conditions

Learn about the conditions we treat at the Heart Institute. If you have questions about which conditions we provide second opinions for, please call us at 720-777-0938.

For second opinions for fetal heart conditions, please contact our Colorado Fetal Care Center, which provides comprehensive care for families with prenatal heart conditions.

What should I prepare for my second opinion call with the Heart Institute?

The more information you can give our team, the more it will help us to confirm the diagnosis, recommend treatment, help you understand those options, and ensure that your child is receiving the best possible care. Please provide the following information to our providers before your initial phone call:

• Heart diagnosis: Your child’s diagnosis or suspected diagnosis and current treatment plan, if applicable
• Tests and dates: The types of tests (echocardiogram, cardiac MRI, etc.) and the dates of those tests
• Diagnosing doctor: The diagnosing doctor’s name, address, phone and fax numbers
• Your location
• Health insurance status and information

As the doctor reviews your child’s information, we may need additional records, images and scan results. Examples may include an echocardiogram, CT scan, cardiac MRI, results of any prior cardiac catheterizations or surgeries, and any other relevant testing or notes written by your cardiologist.

Where will my child be seen for their in-person appointment?

Our primary location for second opinion appointments is at our hospital on Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora. However, if you would like to be seen at one of our other cardiology locations or outreach clinics, please contact our referral coordinator at 720-777-0938.

Learn more about second opinions from Children’s Colorado