WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Program of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center has received the Excellence in Life Support Award from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO). This award designates the program as a Center of Excellence.

The ECMO team provides extracorporeal life support to neonatal, pediatric and adult patients with cardiac and/or respiratory failure who are unresponsive to maximal medical therapy, as well as patients in acute cardiac failure awaiting transplant or placement of a ventricular assist device.

The award recognizes extraordinary achievement in several categories, including using the highest quality measures, processes and structures based upon evidence for patient care and offering the training, education, collaboration, and communication that supports the ELSO guidelines and contributes to a healing environment.

The ECMO team cares for patients in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Brenner Children's Hospital and the Adult Cardiothoracic Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

ECMO is part of the Department of Respiratory Care Services. The Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery provides medical direction. Michael H. Hines, M.D., an associate professor of cardiothoracic surgery and pediatrics, is the director of ECMO. The program maintains a multidisciplinary approach. Patient care is supported by faculty and staff from cardiovascular surgery, pediatrics, neonatology, cardiology, radiology, nursing, pediatric surgery and respiratory care.