Pediatric care will be provided in new hospital

By Terry Boys

5:09 PM Saturday, July 31, 2010

When I talk to people about the new Springfield Regional Medical Center under construction, I’m frequently asked whether we will provide pediatric care. The quick answer is yes.

Before I go into details about our plans, I’d like to share what is happening with pediatric care on a broader scale.

As technology continues to improve, there has been a shift from inpatient to outpatient care.

Simply put, fewer children are being hospitalized.

Statistics from the Ohio Hospital Association show that pediatric admissions at community-based hospitals like Springfield are decreasing dramatically.

In our new hospital, we will have a six-bed observation and short-stay unit where children can stay for up to 72 hours.

This unit will be adjacent to our expanded emergency department, which is the entry point for most of our pediatric cases. This model of care will address the majority of the cases we see.

At the local level, we have adopted the procedures, protocols and training used by Dayton Children’s Medical Center.

This helps provide a seamless transfer for children who require prolonged or specialty care.

With our new observation and short-stay unit, we anticipate being able to treat an increased number of children in Springfield, with some ultimately transferred to Dayton Children’s when necessary.

Local pediatricians and family practice physicians are part of the planning process.

Families in Clark and Champaign counties will have the best of both worlds — local access to immediate care linked to a regional specialty hospital for our children.

Terry Boys is vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer of Springfield Regional Medical Center.

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