Beginning July 1, St. Mary Medical Center will close its pediatric unit and send all pediatric patients and cases to Miller Children’s Hospital two miles away.
The decision comes after years of a “shifting landscape,” the hospital stated in a press release, and challenges meeting an increase in patients and more specialized children’s medical needs.
“At St. Mary Medical Center, prioritizing safe, exceptional care guides every decision we make,” said Carolyn Caldwell, President and CEO of St. Mary Medical Center in a public statement. “With this in mind, we have made the difficult decision to close our pediatric unit.”
The two medical centers have had a partnership to handle pediatric needs for years, and Caldwell and Miller Children’s Hospital CEO Blair Kent worked together to ensure a seamless transition for patients and doctors, according to a statement from St. Mary’s.
Miller Children’s Hospital has 357 licensed pediatric and women’s beds, according to its website. Its services currently include surgery, pediatric imaging, a children’s infusion center, a neonatal intensive care unit, a hematology and oncology unit, a pediatric intensive care unit and a pulmonary center.
St. Mary will continue to provide care to children who come into the Emergency Room, as well as women’s services such as labor and delivery. The center said it will focus on expanding its NeuroScience service line with a new biplane suite that will help the center deliver advanced stroke care.
The Miller Children’s Hospital is located at 2801 Atlantic Ave. and is open 24 hours, seven days a week.
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