 From
loving arms of volunteer "cuddlers" to high-tech medical machines,
The Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida has the right touch
when it comes to newborns with special needs. Lee Memorial
Health System and The Children's Hospital were recently recognized
for having excellent performance outcomes at the Neonatal Intensive
Care Unit (NICU) located at HealthPark Medical Center."Our
NICU was recognized for having the best patient outcomes in the
state," says Kathy Bridge-Liles, Vice President for Women's and
Children's Services for Lee Memorial Health System. A Level
III facility, the HealthPark NICU provides the highest level of
neonatal care available in the area.
 One
of only 11 designated Regional Perinatal Intensive Care Center
(RPICC) in the state, and the only one in the seven-county Southwest
Florida area, the NICU at HealthPark is required to submit data to
the state RPICC Program for evaluation. Surveyors then visit
the NICU to examine performance in areas such as patient care,
policies and procedures, documentation and safety and quality
initiatives. Among several top outcomes, this year's
evaluation found that the HealthPark NICU had the highest neonatal
survival rate in the state RPICC system.
"The RPICC Program at HealthPark continues to provide
comprehensive outpatient and inpatient care for high-risk pregnant
women and sick or low birth weight neonates," says Phyllis Sloyer,
Division Director for Children's Medical Services, the administrator
for the Florida RPICC Program. "The high level of care is a
direct result of the dedication of all individuals associated with
the RPICC Program."
 The
NICU is staffed by a dedicated team of board certified
neonatologists, neonatal ICU nurses, nurse practitioners,
respiratory and physical therapists, dieticians, and many
subspecialty medical staff members who are experienced in caring for
ill infants. Just last year, NICU physicians and staff helped
more than 650 Southwest Florida newborns with special needs.
"With the support of Lee Memorial Health System, our NICU
physicians and staff are continually participating in statewide
performance initiatives and other programs to stay informed on the
latest research and specialized techniques for newborn intensive
care," says Kathy. |
