Geisinger participates in National Pediatric Readiness
EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU) — Having to take your child to an emergency room can be very stressful for kids and parents, but an area health system is working to make its ERs ready for children.
In 2019 Geisinger Health System voluntarily participated in a National Pediatric Readiness survey and as a result, shed light on gaps in its services offered to children.
After making improvements over the last several years, Geisinger says the services its pediatric emergency rooms now provide are similar to what you’d find at children’s hospitals in big
cities across the country.
Geisinger Health System is preparing all of its emergency rooms with more specialized care for children an effort known as pediatric readiness.
“Medicine at Geisinger is leading the charge,” said Dr. Sarah Alander the director of Pediatric Emergency.
“There is an appreciation at all of our providers that kids are going to be treated differently. They are provided with separate training and separate resources for how to approach medical problems children have,” continued Dr. Alander.
That approach is executed within the pediatric zone at Geisinger’s ER in Danville. It’s staffed daily with physicians and nurses trained in pediatric emergency medicine from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Its nine rooms have pediatric-specific technology, equipment, and furniture.
“An infant requires a different blood pressure cuff than in large adults so we needed to look at all our equipment and make sure we’re ready to take care of infants and adults,” says Megan Zolnis the pediatric care coordinator from Geisinger
For patients who can’t make it to Danville, Geisinger offers telemedicine services with pediatric specialists at the ready.
“Danville has doctors who are specifically trained in pediatrics and we provide outreach with telemedicine to our other providers and education resources for how to approach their problems,” explained Dr. Alander.
Dr. Alander says when emergency rooms are equipped to care for children, outcomes are significantly better for young patients.
To ensure pediatric readiness, Geisinger’s Pediatric Emergency Care Council meets monthly to look at deficiencies and continue to improve any gaps at its facilities and within its pediatric emergency rooms.
In addition to Sunday’s open house, they’re also holding a 5k sugar run and walk. Participants will get a boost of energy from a shot of maple syrup during the race.
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