New Lexington healthcare partnership gives more access for babies in NICU

LEXINGTON, Ky. ( FOX 56 ) — It’s every parent’s dream to hold their child after they’re born. But when a baby is born prematurely or with health issues, that newborn is often holding onto life.

“These are children that would not succeed at home with simple breastfeeding and typical care from the mother. So it does require medically intensive care. And so that’s what we provide here,” said Jason Harris, chief medical officer at Saint Joseph Health East.

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A new collaboration between Saint Joseph Health and UK HealthCare will ensure providers from Kentucky Children’s Hospital can help care for babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

“We can make sure that if there is anyone needs care, that we have room for them, and also that, we can make sure that we are providing the highest standard of care that’s really aligned with exactly what UK is doing,” Erica Anderson, market director for obstetrics at Saint Joseph Health said.

Kentucky Children’s Hospital is the only hospital in the central and eastern part of the state that gives level four care, which is for the most severe cases.

The women’s hospital at Saint Joseph Health East only provides care up to level three.

“Level three doesn’t have restrictions as far as how low of a gestation age we could take. We can take babies on ventilators, things like that,” says Anderson. “And then a level four would offer additional support services. So, babies that might need specialized care like gastroenterology or neurology and things like that.”

The agreement will allow more doctors and nurses to be on the floor, caring for these babies, hopefully giving more peace of mind to new parents during such tough times.

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“I think that means a lot. It allows them to get to know our providers and things like that if they have questions because it is a really scary environment to be in,” Anderson said.

Now, with another step toward more comprehensive newborn care in Lexington, families with babies in the NICU can be confident that there will always be care available.

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