The Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin / German Heart Center Berlin (DHZB) is a highly specialized hospital dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of all cardiovascular and thoracic diseases. Since its establishment in 1986 as a non-profit foundation under German Civil Law, more than 208,000 patients have been treated and more than 110,000 heart operations have been performed at the DHZB. Special fields of expertise include minimally invasive cardiovascular surgery, heart and/or lung transplantation and cardiovascular imaging procedures such as MRI. The DHZB runs the world's largest program for the implantation of mechanical circulatory support systems. The hospital's treatment program for congenital and often complex heart disease in patients of all ages has made it a leader in this field in Europe. The DHZB and its subsidiary companies employ more than 1,300 people, including 180 doctors and almost 500 nurses. The hospital has 196 beds. More than 8,000 inpatients and 24,000 outpatients were treated in 2017. In October 2017 the DHZB received certification by KTQ (Cooperation for Transparency and Quality in Health Care) for the sixth time.