Miami — Miami Children’s Hospital’s (MCH) has opened 20 new exam rooms in the Emergency Department (ED) as part of an expansion project aimed at meeting the growing needs of the community.  The enhancements also include state-of-the-art technology, digitization, an expanded waiting area with family group seating options and colorful entertainment zones for children of all ages.In addition, construction is near completion on the Miguel "Mike" B. Fernandez Family Pediatric Trauma Center, which will expand the treatment facility for South Florida’s only freestanding pediatric trauma center. Once the project is completed in early 2015, The ED will have 72 new exam rooms and will offer specialized areas for enhanced patient flow from triage to discharge, optimizing the patient and family experience. The hospital is nationally recognized for its use of the Lean business improvement model to streamline processes to enhance care access and service.

“The Emergency Department at Miami Children’s is an invaluable resource within our community,” said Martha McGill, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “This expansion is a testament to our commitment to anticipating the needs of the families we serve and offering an environment that is supportive of those receiving care. We are committed to providing the best care possible, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” she said.


MCH’s ED is one of the most preferred pediatric emergency rooms in the state and the region’s only emergency service exclusively for children. For the past two years, readers of South Florida Parenting magazine have chosen Miami Children’s ED as the recipient of the publication’s “Kids Crown Award” for “Best Pediatric ER” in Miami-Dade.

The ED provides care for approximately 100,000 children each year, an average of nearly 275 per day. The department is staffed by doctors, nurses and caregivers with specialized training and experience in meeting the unique care needs of children, while South Florida’s largest staff of pediatric subspecialists is available to consult in the care of children.

As part of its commitment to the community, Miami Children’s also offers seven Urgent Care Centers situated in MCH Outpatient Centers in communities extending from Palmetto Bay in South Dade to Palm Beach County. The Urgent Care Centers offer treatment for children with minor injuries and illnesses. Hours, locations and related MCH Urgent Care Center information is available at www.mch.com/urgentcare.
 
Funding for this project is made possible through the Together for the Children Capital Campaign. To help support this initiative please visit www.mchf.org/donate or call Miami Children’s Health Foundation at 305-666-2889.

                                       
About Miami Children’s Hospital
Founded in 1950 by Variety Clubs International, Miami Children's Hospital® is South Florida’s only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children, with more than 650 attending physicians and over 130 pediatric sub-specialists. The 289-bed hospital is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine. In fact, it is the only hospital in Florida to be ranked in all 10 pediatric specialties assessed by U.S. News & World Report in its annual Best Children's Hospitals rankings for three consecutive years, 2011, 2012 and 2013-14. The hospital is also home to the largest pediatric teaching program in the southeastern United States and has been designated an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet facility, the nursing profession’s most prestigious institutional honor.