Built from the Heart
The Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy provides comprehensive care for patients with all types of heart conditions. Our team of 35 pediatric cardiologists and heart surgeons, together with specially-trained nurses and staff members, work tirelessly to give our patients the best possible care.
The size and scope of our program means that we are always ready to care for patients, no matter how rare their condition might be. Even though we care for some of the most complex kids, our survival rates continue to surpass the national average.
Built from the heart, our dedicated team is committed to collaborating with you to alleviate the time and resource challenges associated with complex cardiology cases. From clinical and financial to social, psychological, and emotional support, together we can ensure top-tier patient care.
Keep reading to learn more about our Heart Center team.
Let's connect!
Division Leadership
Aliessa P. Barnes, MD - Pediatric Cardiology
Co-Director, Ward Family Heart Center; Section Chief, Cardiology; Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine; Education Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Kansas School of Medicine.
Dr. Barnes is a board-certified pediatric cardiologist with over 15 years of cardiology experience, specializing in pediatric heart failure and pediatric cardiac transplantation.
James E O'Brien, MD, FACS - Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery
Joseph Boon Gregg/Missouri Endowed Chair in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery; Co-Director, Ward Family Heart Center; Section Chief, Cardiovascular Surgery; Program Director, Congenital Cardiac Surgery Fellowship; Professor of Surgery, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine; Clinical Assistant Professor of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, University of Kansas School of Medicine
Dr. O’Brien is a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon with over 35 years in experience, specializing in reconstructive cardiac surgery for pediatric and adult patients with congenital heart disease.
Nursing Leadership
Kelly Fehlhafer, DNP, MBA, BSN, RN, CNOR - Senior Nursing Director, Operations
Kelly leads the Heart Center nursing staff operations, specializing in pediatric cardiac surgical/procedural care, quality improvement strategies, and developing necessary changes to meet regulatory standards.
Division Administration Leadership
Rachel Detwiler, MHA - Department Administrator
Rachel is the department administrator for the Heart Center. She has been with Children's Mercy for eight years in various administrative positions within the Department of Cardiology and Transplant Center. Part of her role as the department administrator is to ensure the referral process goes smoothly.
Program Leadership
Catheterization
Echocardiography
Electrophysiology
Fetal Cardiology
Surgery
Transplant
Heart Center Designated as Cardiomyopathy Center of Care
Congratulations to the Heart Center for being named a Cardiomyopathy Center of Care by the Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation (CCF), a national nonprofit committed to improving the health outcomes and quality of life for children with cardiomyopathy.
Celebrating 10 years of excellence in the Heart Transplant Program
It's two high-fives to 10 years and top 10 U.S. News ranking for our heart transplant program! To celebrate, heartfelt congratulations were given to care team members who dedicate their service and expertise to the program and its patients. On Nov. 6, nearly 100 colleagues of past and present gathered at the CMRI to reflect on the program, from their first heart transplant to all the lives they continue to impact today.
Case Summary: Shone’s Complex
Patient Background:
Brexley, an 18-day-old infant, presented with acute respiratory arrest while in transit in Kiowa County, Kansas. Immediate resuscitation efforts were initiated by her parents, Gracie Gray and Kahl Huffman, followed by successful infant CPR performed by Master Trooper Evan Jacks of the Kansas Highway Patrol.
Meet the Experts: Dr. Aliessa Barnes - Ward Family Heart Center
Meet Aliessa Barnes, MD, Co-Director, Ward Family Heart Center; Section Chief, Cardiology. She speaks about the importance of data collection to help power research to continue to improve care and outcomes for patients, and about her passion for educating patients and families to truly make them feel part of the care team. Dr. Barnes and her colleagues in the Ward Family Heart Center are dedicated to providing patients and families with top-notch patient care throughout each stage of their journey.
Transformational Pediatrics
Transformational Pediatrics features interviews with physicians and researchers at Children’s Mercy Kansas City who are transforming pediatric care through genomic medicine, personalized therapeutics, health services and outcomes research, and innovations in health care delivery.
Adult Congenital Heart Program
The Ward Family Heart Center is committed to the lifelong care of patients living with congenital and pediatric acquired heart disease. As part of this mission, we partner with our adult counterparts at St. Luke’s Hospital and the University of Kansas to provide transition of care for our young adult patients and to care for adult patients with congenital and pediatric acquired heart disease. Our dedicated cardiologists who are board-certified in Adult Congenital Heart Disease are directly involved with our adult colleagues in providing care including specialized imaging, catheter-based interventions, electrophysiologic studies, interventions and surgical care to this ever-growing population.