Chicagoland Children's Health Alliance (CCHA)
Introducing an integrated and comprehensive network of pediatric experts, from primary to highly specialized care, at the most convenient locations.
Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance (CCHA) reflects a collaboration among University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital, Advocate Children’s Hospital and Pediatrics at NorthShore University HealthSystem.
The three organizations are committed to seamless, multidisciplinary teams who are passionate about providing the best possible care for children and their families. The CCHA currently shares expertise, best practices and resources across five main areas:
- Pediatric cancer and blood diseases
- Pediatric gastroenterology
- Pediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery
- Pediatric neurology and neurosurgery
- Pediatric surgical care
The CCHA is laser-focused on providing quality outcomes and seamless patient experiences that exceed all expectations.
Request an Appointment
- Parents and caregivers can request an appointment by calling 1-888-842-0200.
- Physicians can make a referral by calling 877-UC-KID-MD (877-825-4363.)
Pediatric Cancer and Blood Diseases: Building a New Level of Cancer Care
A diagnosis of childhood cancer is a life-changing event for the entire family. Our care team is here for support from consultation through diagnosis and treatment, continuing with Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) programs. We offer one of the largest and most comprehensive portfolios of pediatric cancer clinical trials. Our patients often have access to new treatments years before they are widely available elsewhere. The CCHA pediatric cancer team is led by Tara Henderson, MD, MPH.
Pediatric Gastroenterology: Specialized Digestive Disease Care
The pediatric gastroenterologists at the Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance (CCHA) are compassionate caregivers dedicated to developing innovative solutions and family-centered approaches that provide high quality care for every child.
CCHA provides specialty expertise for a wide range of childhood gastroenterology illnesses including complex liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, eosinophilic esophagitis and celiac disease. Our convenient locations throughout Chicagoland, ensure every child and family receives the best care as close to home as possible.
With dedicated clinical and research experts, our centers of excellence offer opportunities for research and teaching in addition to patient care. Working with experts in immunology, social work, nursing, health education, dietetics, psychology, surgery, genetics and more, our team is developing novel therapies for the most complex cases. Through collaboration on clinical trials, quality improvement, outreach and training programs, our teams focus on the best patient outcomes and sharing our expertise with others.
Pediatric Heart Care: World-Class Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery
Our collective team is recognized by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and US News and World Report for being among the country’s highest performing pediatric heart programs including the largest, most comprehensive congenital heart program in the region. We combine our advancements in heart research with our understanding of the unique challenges facing children with heart disorders to improve diagnosis, treatment and outcomes for our patients. From detection of prenatal conditions to treatment for adult congenital heart disease, our experts deliver individualized treatment that span a lifetime of cardiovascular support.
The CCHA pediatric heart team is co-led by Luca Vricella, MD, Director of Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery and Michael Earing, MD, Director of Pediatric Cardiology. Dr. Vricella specializes in the most complex pediatric heart surgeries including aortic surgeries, aortic aneurysms, mixed connective tissue disorders and neonatal cardiac surgeries. Dr. Earing specializes in adult congenital heart disease, Marfan syndrome, familial aortic aneurysms and pulmonary hypertension.
Pediatric Neurosciences: Compassionate and Cutting-Edge Neurology and Neurosurgery
The pediatric neurosciences care team at the Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance (CCHA) is dedicated to developing innovative solutions and family-centered approaches that provide high quality care for every child.
The CCHA neurosciences team, comprised of specialists in pediatric neurology and neurosurgery, provides integrated specialty expertise across the Chicagoland region, including treatment for epilepsy, brain tumors, concussions and neuro-trauma, headaches, spinal deformities, craniofacial anomalies, and movement disorders. Our convenient locations in Evanston, Hyde Park, Park Ridge, Oak Lawn, Tinley Park, Naperville, and Merrillville ensure every child and family receives the best care as close to home as possible.
Pediatric Surgery: Superior Care from Simple to Complex
Our CCHA pediatric general surgeons are compassionate caregivers dedicated to developing innovative solutions and family-centered approaches that provide high quality care for every child. Our patients range from tiny and fragile preterm newborns to adolescents while we treat a wide range of conditions where pediatric surgery may be needed, including complex congenital anomalies, disorders of the chest and abdomen, trauma, and burns. Our surgeons collaborate and function as a close-knit group so each patient benefits from the collective experience and intellectual specialization of the larger surgical practice as well as specialists across the CCHA spectrum.
The pediatric surgical team is led by Jessica Kandel, MD. As Surgeon-in-Chief, University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children's Hospital and Chief, Section of Pediatric Surgery, Dr. Kandel specializes in the treatment of pediatric cancers, including Wilms tumor, neuroblastoma and hepatoblastoma, as well as vascular anomalies (hemangiomas, venous malformations, lymphatic malformations).