In 1992, the Western Canadian provinces recognized the need to review the delivery of low volume medical services. 

Pediatric cardiac services were being provided at five sites and four of these sites provided pediatric cardiac surgery.  Children were referred between sites and to other centres in Canada and the United States.  Regionalized pediatric cardiac surgery was one consideration.

The Western Provinces met to review the delivery of quality pediatric cardiac services in centres where volumes are low and the population is widely dispersed.  A representative group of clinicians and government officials designed a world-class children's heart healthcare system for Western Canada - creating the WCCHN in 1999.

The Western Canadian Children's Heart Network (WCCHN) was established in the year 2000 to link expertise between five western pediatric cardiac centres, and improve interprovincial cooperation and partnership to benefit children in need.

The Network partners are:  B.C. Children's Hospital (Vancouver); Stollery Children's Hospital (Edmonton); Alberta Children's Hospital (Calgary); Royal University Hospital (Saskatoon); and Winnipeg Children's Hospital.

In addition to providing family and patient support, the Network also cooperates to share education, research, and clinical practice.  In the future, it will offer sessions for the community caregivers and families to further improve services and care.

Our Network allows for improved program stability and enhanced quality assurance for all centres.

The WCCHN provides the children of Western Canada access to a first rate pediatric heart healthcare system.  Our results rival those of any other similar service in North America.