After recently being named one of the best children’s hospitals in the state, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) is teaming up with Saint John’s Providence Health & Services to expand the level of care available locally.
The partnership began Jan. 1, with hopes it will bring additional care to Santa Monica and the surrounding communities within the Westside. Much of the medical attention will go towards the most fragile humans there are, the newborns in the medical center’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Providence Saint John’s Health Center has served Santa Monica and Westside communities since 1942. The facility prides itself on the quality of care in the NICU and its Maria Shriver Nursery, staffed by trained nurses 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Newborns with special medical needs are transferred to the Irene Dunne Guild Level III NICU to receive medical treatment and additional attention. The 18-bed Irene Dunne Guild NICU at Providence Saint John’s will be lead by CHLA Medical Group neonatologists Philippe Friedlich, MD, MS Epi, MBA, and Steven Chin, Regional Director of Neonatology and CHLA Division of Neonatology, MD, MMSc.
Throughout the collaboration the CHLA Medical Group specialists will collaborate with Saint John’s physicians, nurses and therapists to advance the health center’s neonatal care. Together their mission is to provide access to the best quality of care to the vulnerable children.
“The work environment has been highly collaborative and supportive. Together with Saint John's excellent physicians, nurses, and therapists, we are working hard to advance the health center's neonatal care,” said Chin.
In a recent statement, Don Larsen, MD, Providence Saint John’s chief medical officer said that by combining Saint John’s tradition of excellence with the expertise of CHLA Medical Group neonatal specialist, the community will have around the clock access to this specialized level of care close to home.
“CHLA is an academic medical center nationally recognized for pediatric care. By combining Saint John’s tradition of excellence with the expertise of CHLA Medical Group neonatal specialists, the community will have the highest level of access to this specialized level of care close to home,” said Chin.
Larry Harrison, chief executive officer at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Medical Group believes the facility has had a connection to the community by providing pediatric outpatient specialty care through the CHLA- Santa Monica outpatient center.
Chin said, “This partnership with Saint John’s will enhance our ability to meet the needs of the Westside community with the highest level care for vulnerable and premature infants.”
marina@www.smdp.com
