Innovation to Improve the Health of Kids 

Our vision at Children’s Wisconsin is for children in our communities to be the healthiest in the nation. To be successful, we must excel in our mission of CARE: care, advocacy, research and education. In this issue of the Diagnostic, Anesthesia and Surgical Health (DASH) report, we showcase how we are using innovation to improve the health of kids — one of our guiding values.

Children’s Wisconsin is a verified Level I Children’s Surgery Center by the  American College of Surgeons (ACS) and an ACS Surgical Quality Partner. Recently, we have focused our attention on improving postprocedural pain control and enhancing postoperative recovery to improve surgical care excellence. This is a concerted effort, driven by science and data, that involves our nurses, surgeons, pediatricians and anesthesiologists. In this issue, discover how our Cleft Program and Orthopedic Surgery Program demonstrate how we use team-based care to expedite recovery and minimize postoperative complications.

We are also proud to share that we are among the few centers in the world using the novel plaque brachytherapy technique to treat retinoblastoma. This custom-made radiation disc is designed specifically for each child’s eye and tumor, delivering highly targeted treatment while minimizing harm to surrounding structures and reducing the risk of secondary cancers. Our commitment to innovation doesn’t end there. Our Urology Program implemented a Hypospadias Data Registry of more than 1,000 patients that guides ongoing refinement of surgical techniques to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Together, these efforts reflect our unwavering dedication to advancing surgical care and improving the lives of children and families we serve.