Big Rapids, Reed City Hospitals Open Pediatric Observation Units in Collaboration with Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital

Big Rapids & Reed City, Mich., November 1, 2019 – Spectrum Health Big Rapids and Reed City Hospitals announce the success in the pediatric observation program piloted in the emergency departments over the last 18 months. The program is in coordination with Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital and has been developed in strong collaboration with the regional Emergency Care Specialist teams and children’s hospital physicians to enhance pediatric care available throughout the region.

The program provides designated rooms for pediatric observation. Pediatric patients who meet established criteria will be observed in the unit for a maximum of 24 hours rather than being transferred to the children’s hospital in Grand Rapids. The local clinical care teams work in close communications with Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital physicians on the care plan for each child as needed, based on the child’s progress.

“We are excited to formally launch the pediatric observation program in Big Rapids and Reed City,” said Caroline Ring, chief nursing officer for Big Rapids and Reed City Hospitals. “What started as a conversation about how to best care for patients locally has developed into a meaningful and collaborative program with our colleagues at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.”

“This program truly puts our patients and families first,” Ring said. “This approach is designed to provide expert care through our connection with Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, yet minimize the stress and financial burden by avoiding a transfer to Grand Rapids, when possible.”

In critical cases, or if a patient’s symptoms fall outside the criteria to stay for observation, the patient will be transferred to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital for specialized pediatric care.

To celebrate the progression of the pilot program to a formal process of caring for local pediatric patients, a celebration of partnership will be held on Thursday, November 7, 2019. A brief ceremony and tour will take place at 10 a.m. in the Big Rapids Hospital Lobby and at 11:30 a.m. in the Reed City Hospital Emergency Entrance Lobby. The celebrations are open to the public. Refreshments will be provided.

Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital is a 234-bed regional referral center and teaching hospital that also houses a pediatric neurocritical care unit, the only of such kind in West Michigan. It offers advanced pediatric specialty care with more than 300 pediatric physicians who practice in more than 50 pediatric specialties and programs. Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital is Michigan’s largest neonatal center.

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