Pediatric Emergency and Inpatient Care Close to Home
September 7, 2023
Diagnosed with sickle cell disease as a newborn, Jada was only seven months old when she made her first visit to Saint Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury and its dedicated hospital floor for children, run by partner health system Connecticut Children’s. Over the course of the next several years, those visits became all too familiar. With each visit to Saint Mary’s Emergency Department, Jada and her parents were cared for by specially trained pediatric emergency care physicians and Connecticut Children’s experts on the 4th floor.
Now, as an eleven-year-old who recently started 6th grade, and two years removed from a bone marrow transplant, Jada’s visits are less frequent, but they still occur. When they do, her parents, Chant’e and Marvin Moore, feel comfortable calling Saint Mary’s Emergency Department ahead of time to alert the team that Jada is on the way.
As Waterbury residents, knowing Saint Mary’s has the unique combination of specialized pediatric emergency services and pediatric experts from Connecticut Children’s in-house, made dealing with Jada’s condition less complicated for the Moore’s.
“Not having to go to Hartford, having this expert care close to home is so much easier,” said Chant’e. “It saves us a lot of frustration. The nurses know her by name. As soon as we come in, whether it’s the doctors, the nurses or PA’s, they can stabilize her and get her upstairs quickly.”
“We are proud to provide safe and expert pediatric care to children and families in the greater Waterbury area. It’s important that all families have quick and easy access to Connecticut Children’s expertise when and where they need it most,” said Marta Neubauer, M.D., Connecticut Children’s Hospitalist and Medical Director of the Waterbury unit. “Saint Mary’s also recognizes this need and has been a great partner as we work to deliver care in a safe environment. We want families to know that they can and should seek medical care when their child needs it.”
The unique partnership began in 2009, when Connecticut Children’s first established the inpatient unit at Saint Mary’s Hospital. Since then, Saint Mary’s Emergency Department has worked closely with the unit establishing an expedited admissions process, with the goal of minimizing the time children spend in the ED. In many cases, when appropriate, Saint Mary’s Emergency Department Pediatric Services assess and quickly initiate treatment as needed for the child, then ensure a speedy transition for the patient into the Connecticut Children’s inpatient unit.
“Our partnership with Connecticut Children’s serves an important role in the community,” says Kim Kalajainen, Chief Administrative Officer of Saint Mary’s Hospital. “The unit provides complete inpatient care for pediatric patients right in the community. And as we enter another school year, it’s important for families in our communities to know that specialized pediatric care is in their backyard.”
As part of its ongoing commitment to providing expert pediatric care close to home, Connecticut Children’s maintains a 12 inpatient bed unit at Saint Mary’s Hospital. Connecticut Children’s – Waterbury is staffed by board-certified pediatric specialists and team members dedicated to providing inpatient care to children who need safe and sound health care.
Connecticut Children’s is the only health system in Connecticut dedicated to children, providing more than 30 pediatric specialties along with community-based programs. Known for exceptional care and conveniently delivered at locations close to home and by Video Visit. Connecticut Children’s experts lead breakthrough research and innovative partnerships and have won awards for everything from nursing excellence to patient-friendly technology.
Saint Mary’s Emergency Department Pediatric Services is the only one of its kind in the region, boasting five highly trained emergency pediatric physicians, as well as two general pediatricians. Saint Mary’s is also the community training site for Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship programs at Connecticut Children’s. In addition, Quinnipiac University Frank H. Netter School of Medicine has its pediatric emergency medicine rotations for their medical students at Saint Mary’s. Physicians with Pediatric Emergency Medicine Residency and Fellowship training bring with them a wealth of experience and knowledge. After three years of pediatric residency, these doctors do an additional three years of strictly pediatric emergency medicine.
“My one message is trust in the care you get from Saint Mary’s Pediatric Emergency Services and at Connecticut Children’s at Saint Mary’s,” said Chant’e. “They go above and beyond, every PA, every nurse, even the clerks. They are amazing.”
