Every year, approximately 150,000 babies are born in Paraná. Medical literature indicates that approximately 0.8% of these babies will be born with congenital heart diseases, that is, around 1,200 babies, and 400 of them will require surgery in the first few days of life and another 600 will require specialized monitoring. To ensure a more agile and efficient response to these cases, in March, Pequeno Príncipe Hospital signed a partnership with the Paraná State Department of Health to implement the Bate-Bate Coração project.

The proposal is innovative: Through a structured line of care and telemedicine between neonatal ICUs, the Hospital’s specialized team will be able to work remotely to diagnose, monitor and define procedures for babies with serious congenital heart disease throughout the state. The project includes the use of cutting-edge technology, such as telepresence robots for real-time interactions with local teams, secure sharing of exams and images, as well as specialized consulting in critical situations.

“Identifying the disease during pregnancy, defining the birth location, providing care during the birth itself, and providing adequate care for babies with congenital heart disease are major challenges in the care of babies with congenital heart defect and are one of the focuses of this project. We want to help ensure that the state’s health units are prepared to provide care and connected to achieve the best clinical outcome for each case,” explains cardiologist Cassio Fon Ben Sum, technical director of Pequeno Príncipe Hospital.

In addition to directly contributing to reducing neonatal mortality from congenital heart disease, the project will improve protocols, train teams, and mobilize the health network to ensure that no baby fails to receive adequate care due to a lack of specialized facilities in their region.

Caring for the beginning of life

“Investing in early life means investing in the entire health journey. Early intervention in severe conditions like congenital heart defects significantly increases survival rates and quality of life,” says Ety Cristina Forte Carneiro, executive director of the Hospital.

Pequeno Príncipe is one of the leading hospitals in Brazil for neonatal heart surgery, with over 30 years of experience and a global survival rate of 96%. Each year, the institution performs about 500 heart surgeries – approximately 70 of which are neonatal.

In addition to expert surgeons, anesthesiologists, and surgical teams, the Hospital offers 26 beds dedicated to cardiology, with highly trained staff.

This initiative also marks a major step in regionalizing neonatal care, optimizing existing state resources and ensuring equitable access to specialized healthcare.

Following the agreement, the Hospital expects around six months of planning before services begin.