The baby's mother went to her regular prenatal appointment at a local civilian clinic, and was sent immediately by her obstetrician to a nearby hospital for further assessment. Physicians at the hospital recommended she have an immediate cesarean section to deliver the baby, but this hospital wasn't able to do the surgery. Successful in their search, the mother was taken by ambulance to a nearby national hospital, where the baby, a son, was delivered. Five days after the birth, the new parents learned that their son was born with a serious heart defect and he needed immediate and extensive medical care. At NMC San Diego, the baby was evaluated by a pediatric cardiologist and other specialists.
Someone is always there at the baby's bedside.
The baby will have open chest surgery once a bacterial infection is cleared up. A second surgery to repair the heart will be scheduled for the baby in about four months. In all, dozens of health care professionals and others on two continents teamed up to fight for the baby's life. Now patients can simply take a short walk to get health care. As a result, the increase in personnel creates a demand for more medical services including more health care providers.