Long Beach’s Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital has appointed Anupama Shetty, M.D., as the medical director of the hospital’s level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the hospital announced Tuesday.
Shetty previously held the role of medical director of Neonatal Cardiology at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital. Before that, she practiced neonatology at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara, where she served as the assistant chief of the inpatient pediatric department for five years. While at Keiser, she developed the NICU Family Advisory Council, the NICU Neurodevelopmental program, and the NICU psychology program.
She also completed fellowship training in pediatric cardiac intensive care at UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh. Shetty has a specialized knowledge of managing complex neonatal cardiac cases, which makes her qualified to lead the NICU and expand its pediatric cardiology capabilities, according to a press release from the hospital.
“I’m deeply honored and excited to step into the role of NICU medical director,” Shetty said in a public statement. “I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside an incredible team dedicated to providing compassionate, expert care to our tiniest patients. I look forward to continuing our mission of innovation and excellence to ensure the best possible outcomes for our vulnerable, at-risk babies and their families.”
Miller Children’s & Women’s is a Level IV NICU, the highest designation for neonatal care, capable of treating the most critically ill and premature newborns. It features many specialized programs such as the Tiny Baby Program, which provides specialized care for babies born before 28 weeks gestation or weighing less than 2 pounds at birth.
The NICU offers a dedicated transport program available 24/7, with a team of physicians and nurses who travel to nearby hospitals when a baby requires specialized care and transport the patient to Miller Children’s & Women’s.
“Dr. Shetty has demonstrated tremendous leadership and a deep commitment to improving neonatal outcomes,” said Graham Tse, M.D., chief medical officer at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital in a public statement. “Her background in neonatal cardiology and congenital heart disease will be invaluable as we continue expanding care for at-risk infants through advanced treatments and research.”
Shetty is succeeding Antoine Soliman, M.D., who has taken on the role of regional medical director for the Miller Children’s & Women’s Neonatal Network, leading the expansion of neonatal services across Los Angeles and Orange Counties. While Soliman focuses on regional strategy, Shetty will oversee the NICU’s day-to-day operations.
The hospital wrote in a press release that it expects NICU at Miller Children’s & Women’s to grow whilst incorporating innovative practices, extensive care and research, along with enhancing support programs for birthing parents and families.
“Dr. Shetty has made invaluable contributions as a neonatologist and as the medical director of the neonatal cardiology program at Miller Children’s & Women’s,” said Soliman in a public statement. “She brings a servant leadership approach, working at the elbow with her NICU colleagues while keeping patients and their families at the center of care.”
