CDH Centers of Excellence: Raising the Global Standard of Care through Hospital Accreditation

The CDH Centers of Excellence Portal will go live soon. Currently, you can apply by using the application below.

CDH Research International (formerly CDH International) is proud to lead the CDH Center of Excellence Accreditation Program — a rigorous initiative to recognize hospitals and medical centers committed to delivering exceptional, evidence-based care for infants and children with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH).

Accreditation as a CDH Center of Excellence serves as a trusted endorsement. It signals to families, referring physicians, and the medical community that a facility meets high standards in multidisciplinary management, from prenatal diagnosis through surgery, neonatal intensive care, long-term follow-up, and support for survivors.

Why Accreditation Matters CDH is a complex, life-threatening condition requiring coordinated expertise across neonatology, pediatric surgery, cardiology, pulmonology, genetics, and more. Yet care quality varies widely by region and center. Our program addresses this by:

• Establishing minimum and best-practice standards informed by the latest research, our Medical Advisory Board, and global collaborators (e.g., CDH Study Group, DHREAMS, GRACA, WHO initiatives).
• Helping families identify suitable facilities equipped to optimize outcomes.
• Driving continuous improvement and equity — particularly in closing survival gaps between high-income (50–80% in specialized centers) and low/middle-income settings.

Standards for CDH Center of Excellence Accreditation Accreditation (valid for 3 years, renewable) is granted based on demonstrated excellence in key areas, including:

• Multidisciplinary team composition and protocols
• Access to advanced diagnostics (e.g., prenatal imaging, fetal interventions like FETO where applicable)
• Evidence-based neonatal management (gentle ventilation, ECMO readiness, pulmonary hypertension expertise)
• Surgical expertise and outcomes tracking
• Long-term follow-up programs addressing chronic issues (lung function, neurodevelopment, nutrition, hearing)
• Family-centered support and data contribution to research (e.g., via our Patient Registry)
• Commitment to quality improvement and participation in global studies
• Commitment to collaboration with all stakeholders to raise global Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness

Anticipated outcomes of CDH Center of Excellence recognition

1. Patients are better informed about comprehensive CDH care
2. Patients have improved access to Centers with expertise in CDH
3. The medical community better informed about standards of CDH care
4. Long term outcomes are improved through Clinical Care Guidelines
5. Increased opportunities for collaboration between Centers and CDH researchers
6. Global collaboration for CDH Awareness

The benefits of CDH Center of Excellence recognition

1. Accountability – patients, parents and insurance company are ensured that standards are met
2. Ideas for improvement – host centers and site visitors benefit from visits to other CDH Care Centers
3. Securing resources from institution – when a CDH Care Center must meet requirements set forth by the recognition process, this engages the institution to support the CDH Care Center in meeting these requirements for fear that otherwise, the CDH Care Center will no longer be recognized (something that the host institution such as University or hospital would not want to see as the CDH Care Center attracts new patients to its facilities)
4. Public recognition of excellent performers – CDH Care Centers can be the pride and joy for awards at their institutions. They can be a model for all other Centers
5. CDH Care Centers are eligible to apply for research funding through CDH Research International
6. CDH Care Centers are more attractive to research funders such as NIH or private foundations
7. CDH Care Centers are easily identifiable and more attractive to expectant parents researching medical care for unborn patients

The Accreditation Process.

1. Review the Guide (below)
2. Submit Your Application (below), with Attachments
3. Submit Application Fee. Review will not begin until fee is paid. Click here to pay.
4. Review begins

You can download the application below. Please return it, along with required attachments to research@cdh.org and pay your Application Fee promptly.

Review will not begin until the Application Fee is received. Payment can be made online by Clicking Here.

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Dawn Ireland

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