UT Health Tyler neonatal intensive care unit now open
Feb. 5—The neonatal intensive care unit at UT Health Tyler is now open, and its neonatology team is providing specialized care for babies who are born prematurely or have other complex care needs.
The new NICU and renovated nursery is a combined 2,900 square feet and features nine state-of-the-art neonatal beds and the most up-to-date equipment for advanced care and monitoring.
"We are so excited we now have the ability to ensure babies delivered at UT Health Tyler can receive the most advanced care in the rare event they need neonatal intensive care," said Vicki Briggs, chief executive officer of UT Health Tyler. "Our investment of $2.7 million in construction and equipment to provide this level of care is a sign of our commitment to families in East Texas. We deeply appreciate the support and dedication of our obstetricians, pediatricians and neonatologists, along with the dedicated nurses and other caregivers at our Family Birthplace."
Millennium Neonatology will provide board-certified neonatologists and other specialists who will work together with UT Health Tyler to provide family-centered, compassionate care using evidence-based principles, with constant quality assurance and improvement. Dr. Armando Castillo, whose primary specialty is neonatal-perinatal medicine, will serve as medical director of the department.
"In the NICU, we care for babies who need extra help to manage the transition from being born to being a healthy baby when they go home with their parents. This includes babies who are born too early or those who develop problems, such as low blood sugar or trouble breathing, that require specialized machines," Castillo said. "With the addition of this NICU, UT Health Tyler will have the capabilities to keep these babies within the hospital, where they can be close to their families."
Next on the agenda for the department is completing a specialty transport team that will be able to transfer high-risk mothers and infants from UT Health regional hospitals in Athens, Henderson and Jacksonville to the NICU in Tyler.
"Our goal is have the ability to bring infants from our surrounding hospitals and keep almost all infants together with their parents at UT Health Tyler. No longer will infants have to travel so far to get the care they need and deserve," Castillo said.
About UT Health East Texas
UT Health East Texas provides care to thousands of patients each year through an extensive regional network that includes 10 hospitals, more than 50 clinics, the Olympic Plaza Tower, 13 regional rehabilitation facilities, two freestanding emergency centers, regional home health services covering 41 counties, an EMS fleet of more than 50 ambulances and four helicopters, and a comprehensive seven-trauma center care network, including the region's only Level 1 trauma facility.
As a partner with The University of Texas System, UT Health East Texas is uniquely positioned to provide patients with access to leading-edge research and clinical therapies while training and educating the next generation of physicians and other health professionals. The nationally recognized UT System also includes UT MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, as well as three other major university medical centers located throughout the state.
