Parents and caregivers in West Central Indiana will be glad to know that in case of emergency, high-quality care for their children is closer than ever. This summer, the Emergency Department at Hendricks Regional Health’s Danville Hospital was designated the first “Pediatric Ready” emergency department in the state (non-Children’s Hospital).
The designation, bestowed by the Indiana Emergency Medical Services for Children, says to the community that the Danville Hospital’s Emergency Department can care for and stabilize any pediatric emergency. Furthermore, if a pediatric patient needs specialized care, Hendricks has established processes to transfer them to an area children’s hospital.
Children Are Unique
Being pediatric-ready involves more than having the right-sized equipment and supplies. Because children are still growing and developing, they respond to illness and injury differently than adults, requiring different knowledge, skills and treatment. Emotional needs are also a significant consideration.
Yet, 80% of pediatric patients in the U.S. are cared for by a general ED instead of a children’s hospital. That’s how the National Pediatric Readiness Project was born. It’s a federal government initiative to improve child outcomes in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Emergency Physicians and the Emergency Nurses Association.
Collaboration & Unstoppable Dedication
The application for the “Pediatric Ready” designation covered six areas – staffing, education, equipment, disaster preparedness, quality and process improvement – and was “daunting,” according to the Hendricks team that worked on it. It is the result of three years’ worth of work and two tries from a core team of unstoppable associates who are the very definition of Hendricks’ value of collaboration: Drs. Mark Collins, Christina Jackson, Jason Kindrat and former nurse Lauren Simpson, who Riley Hospital for Children recruited to help guide other EDs in Indiana.
24/7 Care & Commitment to Kids
For decades, Hendricks has been committed to the youngest in the community. From our Childbirth Center to our team of pediatricians to our pediatric hospitalists, who are available to provide 24/7 care in a dedicated pediatric unit at Danville Hospital, we are proud to help kids have a strong start to life.
