At HSHS St. John’s Children's Hospital, the smallest patients often require the biggest response.
On Community Voices, President and CEO Brian Brennan joined St. John's Children’s Hospital Director Katie Schmidt and NICU Manager Theresa Patel to spotlight the hospital’s Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), a regional hub serving south central Illinois. As the area’s Perinatal Network Center, St. John’s cares for the most fragile newborns — from micro-preemies weighing less than a pound to full-term babies who need critical support after delivery.
For many families, the NICU journey begins unexpectedly. Roughly 2,400 babies are delivered at St. John’s each year, and when complications arise, a neonatology team is available 24/7 — often just one floor away. The hospital’s transport team travels by air and ground to bring vulnerable infants from surrounding communities to Springfield, keeping families closer to home rather than sending them to larger cities.
Patel, herself a NICU mom, says compassion defines the unit. Parents are welcomed 24/7, private sleep rooms are available, and out-of-town families can stay nearby at the Ronald McDonald House Charities. “Every parent is part of our family,” she said.
The service hasn’t gone unnoticed. American Medical Association President Dr. Bobby Mukkamala recently toured the unit and praised both its clinical outcomes and culture.
As St. John’s looks toward its next 150 years, leaders say continued community support will help ensure world-class neonatal care remains close to home.
Transcript pending.
