The physician specialists and nurses on the unit keep in close contact with home-town family physicians, both during and after the baby's stay. Twenty-four hour phone consultation with physicians is available, and the staff make daily phone contact with the parents for progress updates. Special efforts are made to accommodate the family while the infant is on the unit. The Ronald McDonald House, located across St. Joseph Avenue, provides homelike, temporary living quarters for parents. Other lodging also is available nearby.
Parents can visit baby anytime, and there are special arrangements for brothers and sisters.
Infant care areas can also be personalized, using toys, balloons or other items. All parents receive individualized discharge instructions when baby is ready to go home and can room-in with baby before discharge. Equipment ranges from more sophisticated items, such as specialized infant monitors and intravenous pumps, to more time-honored approaches, such as rocking chairs and taped lullabies. The unit has been planned to provide the latest in sophisticated intensive care services, in a soft, quiet setting that is responsive to parent and infant needs. A multi-disciplinary team approach, provides for continuity in the care of each infant.