Pediatric Connection: A New Regional Collaboration to Expand Pediatric Care
MIDDLETOWN, OHIO -- Children's Hospital Medical Center of Cincinnati, the Children's Medical Center of Dayton and Middletown Regional Hospital have joined in an innovative, first-time collaboration to expand leading-edge pediatric subspecialty services in the Middletown area.
The three hospitals have formed Pediatric Connection. Through this joint venture, the children's hospitals provide pediatric subspecialty physicians for regularly scheduled outpatient appointments at Middletown Regional Hospital. The physicians offer evaluation, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up for infants, children and adolescents.
Through Pediatric Connection, Cincinnati Children's and Dayton Children's are also providing assistance in enhancing Middletown Regional Hospital's emergency medicine program for children and its newborn intensive care services.
"Pediatric Connection represents a valuable collaborative model for health care providers," said Douglas W. McNeill, president and CEO of Middletown Regional Hospital.
"Our three organizations gathered with leaders from throughout our community to determine what services we needed. Together we redefined our vision for child health services in our Mid-Miami Valley region. Then we three worked as a team for nearly two years to develop the framework to make that vision a reality. Pediatric Connection demonstrates what cooperation can accomplish," McNeill said.
Pediatric Connection currently offers monthly consultation services with pediatric subspecialists in three areas. The pediatric pulmonologist evaluates and treats both acute and chronic breathing problems. The pediatric cardiologist diagnoses and manages disorders of the heart and blood vessels. The pediatric urologist addresses conditions that affect the urinary and genital tract. These specialists all see infants, children and teens.
Pediatric Connection will offer consultation services in pediatric gastroenterology and neurology in the future.
Pediatric Connection's consultation services are provided in Middletown Regional Hospital's Maternal Child Health Center, which was recently enlarged and renovated to accommodate these and other child health programs.
"This is an exciting opportunity for all of us who work so diligently to improve the health of our children. We're taking an important step to ensure that the area's most advanced care reaches every child who needs it," said James M. Anderson, president and CEO of Children's Hospital Medical Center of Cincinnati.
"By bringing pediatric subspecialists who are the experts in their fields to the Mid-Miami Valley, we can offer local families very tangible benefits-saving them the time, cost and inconvenience of traveling long distances to get the care they need. We're also offering the peace of mind of knowing that the area's best pediatric subspecialty care is now closer to home," added Laurence P. Harkness, president and CEO of the Children's Medical Center of Dayton.
Families and referring physicians can make appointments with Pediatric Connection consultation services at Middletown Regional Hospital by calling 513-705-4718 or toll-free at 1-866-66PEDCO (866-667-3326).
Contact Information
Janine Spinks, Middletown Regional Hospital, 513-420-5743 Jim Feuer (
mailto:jfeuer@cchmc.org), Children's Hospital Medical Center of Cincinnati 513-636-4656 Arundi Venkayya Cox, the Children's Medical Center, Dayton, 937-641-3666
