Team cracks century-old mystery over the health struggles of explorer Ernest Shackleton
The severe nutrient deficiency beriberi is found to be the primary cause of Shackleton’s bouts of breathlessness and weakness.
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Dr. Oscar J. Benavidez, MD/MPP is the Division Chief of Pediatric/Congenital Cardiology and the Medical Director of the Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization and Surgical Programs. Dr. Benavidez is also the Director of Diversity and Equity at the MassGeneral Hospital for Children.
His clinical area of expertise is in Non-Invasive Congenital Cardiac Imaging from fetus to adult patients with congenital heart disease. Dr. Benavidez is involved in health services research and has published on topics related to patient safety and quality as it pertains to the care of patients with congenital heart disease. He is also on national committees that develop and implement quality measures.
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Mass General for Children at Blue Hills Medical Center
340 Wood Rd.
Braintree, MA 02184
Phone: 888-644-3248
Mass General for Children at Newton Wellesley Hospital
2014 Washington St.
Newton, MA 02462
Phone: 617-243-6585
Mass General for Children: Pediatric and Congenital Cardiology
55 Fruit St.
Suite 6C
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-726-2000
Phone: 617-726-3826
Medical Education
American Board Certifications
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My body of health services research includes examination of patient risk factors for adverse clinical events such as inpatient mortality, complications, and diagnostic error. I have published in this area and have received multiple grants for my work. This work in many ways was my field’s first systematic attempt in examining unwanted patient events such as complications following congenital heart surgery. This work lead to my being included as part of an international surgical society to help define and create the taxonomy for congenital heart centers to use to track complications in this patient population. I also developed the first taxonomy for categorizing diagnostic errors in the echocardiography assessment of congenital heart disease. This work has lead to multiple successful grant applications and my inclusion in national cardiology societies including the American Society of Echocardiography and the American College of Cardiology working groups in quality to help define quality in diagnostic cardiac imaging for the field.
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The severe nutrient deficiency beriberi is found to be the primary cause of Shackleton’s bouts of breathlessness and weakness.
Doctors are currently learning more about PMIS, a rare, but serious inflammatory condition. It can be seen in a small number of children who either had COVID-19 or were exposed to it.