Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s Selects Pediatric Intensivist to Direct Congenital Cardiac Critical Care

December 5, 2023 — David Epstein, MD, a pediatrician who has dedicated his career to caring for very ill children, has been selected as the new director of Pediatric and Congenital Cardiac Intensive Care at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s.

“Dr. Epstein’s appointment demonstrates our commitment to recruiting physicians who combine knowledge and talent with compassionate care,” said Ophir Klein, MD, PhD, executive director of Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s and the David and Meredith Kaplan Distinguished Chair in Children’s Health. 

Epstein—working with colleagues in both Cedars-Sinai’s Guerin Children’s and the Smidt Heart Institute—will direct intensive care and collaborate with cardiologists, surgeons, nurses, interventionists, anesthesiologists, intensivists, and other healthcare professionals who specialize in caring for children born with a heart condition.

“As a leading institution committed to obtaining the best possible clinical outcomes, we are thrilled to welcome Dr. Epstein’s wealth of experience and focus on providing both the highest quality cardiac care and best patient experience for our youngest patients,” said Richard Kim, MD, director of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery and surgical director of the Guerin Family Congenital Heart Program in the Smidt Heart Institute.

Epstein joins Cedars-Sinai from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, where he was a staff physician in the Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine. Previously, Epstein was assistant clinical professor of Pediatrics in the Keck School of Medicine of USC and assistant clinical professor of Pediatrics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

Epstein has conducted research on healthcare disparities and how parents make medical decisions when their children are being cared for in an intensive care unit. He was the principal investigator of a study reporting that children of Latino ethnicity living in lower median income neighborhoods and on government insurance are more likely than other children to be admitted to an intensive care unit with a higher severity of illness.

“My goal is to create an environment where families are informed and feel comfortable asking questions during an emotional and overwhelming time for them,” Epstein said.

After earning his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine, Epstein completed an internship and residency in pediatrics at Phoenix Children’s Hospital/Maricopa County Medical Center. He also completed a fellowship in pediatric critical care medicine at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

“Dr. Epstein’s track record of providing family-focused acute medical care, in addition to his research and educational work, make him a tremendous addition to the Guerin Children’s team,” said Shervin Rabizadeh, MD, MBA, associate director of Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s and chair of the Department of Pediatrics.

For more information: https://www.cedars-sinai.org/programs/pediatrics.html