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Community Corner

Enhanced Services for Expectant Families

With the opening of the new Silver Cross Hospital in 2012, in the past two years, the physicians and nursing team delivered over 5,000 babies.  Nearly half of all babies in Will County are now born at Silver Cross Hospital

 

“More and more families are choosing Silver Cross for the birth of their first, second or even third child,” says Marilyn Paollela, Director of Women and Infant Services at Silver Cross Hospital.  “And although patients are giving us high marks for the care we provide, we are always looking at how we can improve the birthing experience.”

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According to Press, Ganey, a national patient satisfaction survey organization, the Silver Cross Birthing Center ranks in the Top 5% in the country.  And, several of the obstetrician/gynecologists on the Hospital’s Medical Staff rank in the Top 1% nationally for patient satisfaction. They are  John Bush, D.O. (Frankfort/Orland Park) ; Franciso Garcini, M.D. (New Lenox); Thomas Kazmierczak, D.O. (Morris) ; Maureen Mietelski, D.O. (Frankfort/Orland Park); and Peter Vienne Jr., D.O. (Morris.)

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Specialists In-House 24/7

For the past 18 years, Silver Cross has partnered with Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago (formerly Children’s Memorial Hospital) to ensure that a specially trained neonatologist or pediatric hospitalist is onsite 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And if needed, Lurie Children’s pediatric cardiologists are available to analyze a baby’s echocardiogram in real time through a video linkage with Silver Cross.

 

“Having a doctor from Children’s immediately available is a benefit since they can provide expert specialty care to newborns that may otherwise need to be transported to Chicago or a specialty center outside the community,” says Paollela.    “And if a newborn needs follow-up specialist care, Lurie Children's outpatient clinic is conveniently located on our hospital campus.

 

In addition to neonatologists/pediatric hospitalists, patients can find comfort in knowing that Silver Cross has made sure that an obstetrician/gynecologist and anesthesiologist is also now available in the hospital 24 hours and day, 7 days a week. 

 

Level II Nursery with Extended Capabilities

At Silver Cross, the top priority is to make sure that patients of all ages receive the best possible care.  Therefore, the Hospital voluntarily sought designation by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for having a Level II Nursery with extended neonatal capabilities.  This designation means that the state recognizes Silver Cross Hospital’s ability to care for low-birth-weight infants (2 pounds, 12 ounces or greater), premature infants (30 or more weeks gestation), and infants on mechanical ventilators.  Now, few babies ever need to be transferred to specialized neonatal care centers.

 

“This recognition is significant because it ensures the community that Silver Cross has demonstrated that we have highly-skilled physicians and nurses on staff, as well as state-of-the art facilities, equipment and supplies that are needed to provide more complex care to high risk mothers and their babies,” said Paolella.

 

First-time mom Amanda Stroud is thrilled with the highly-skilled care her infant son is receiving at Silver Cross’ Level II Nursery with extended neonatal capabilities. Amanda’s newborn son, Jordan, was born six and half weeks early on July 3 and will more than likely being staying in the special care nursery until his original due date of August 18.  As a result, his lungs weren’t fully developed which required him to need extended care on oxygen in an isolette.

 

“My husband and I are so comfortable having Jordan cared for by the wonderful nurses in Silver Cross’ Special Care Nursery,” said the Joliet resident. “The nurses are so knowledgeable on how to tend to his special needs and are so patient in teaching us how to care for him. And we feel so blessed to have him receive this special care at Silver Cross Hospital which is close to our home.”

In addition to the special skills nursery, Silver Cross has brought together cutting-edge medical technology with spa-like amenities in each of the 12 luxurious birthing suites and 30 mother-baby (postpartum) suites. Each suite was designed so parents can have the convenience of staying in the same room through recovery followed by a stay in one of the private mother-baby suites.  Each private suite is fully-equipped with a bathroom with a shower and some have an immersion tub to help with labor pains, blanket warmer, refrigerator, wireless internet access, 30” flat screen TV system, and a comfortable sofa-sleeper so family members can stay around the clock.  For more information about the new Silver Cross Women and Infant Birthing Center or to schedule a tour, visit www.silvercross.org/ specialdeliveries.  For a referral to an obstetrician/gynecologist or pediatrician on staff at Silver Cross, visit www.silvercross.org or call 1-888-660-HEAL. 

 

About Silver Cross Hospital

Silver Cross Hospital is a not-for-profit health care provider serving Will County and southwest suburban communities since 1895. Silver Cross has been recognized as a Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals National Award winner for seven consecutive years and as a Hospital of Choice by the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers. With nearly 4,000 employees, physicians and volunteers, Silver Cross operates a 289-bed acute care hospital and 5 satellite facilities providing outpatient services and physician offices. Silver Cross opened a state-of-the-art replacement hospital in 2012 at I-355 and Route 6 in New Lenox. In 2013, Silver Cross provided over $48 million in charity care and other community benefits. To learn more about Silver Cross Hospital or a referral to a physician on staff, visit http://www.silvercross.org/ or call 1-888-660-HEAL (4325). Physicians on Silver Cross Hospital’s Medical Staff have expertise in their areas of practice to meet the needs of patients seeking their care.  These physicians are independent practitioners on the Medical Staff and are not the agents or employees of Silver Cross Hospital. They treat patients based upon their independent medical judgment and they bill patients separately for their services.

 

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