Neonatal partnerships deliver care to more premature babies
By Tricia Tomiyoshi
Seven Northern California community hospitals have joined UC Davis’ NICU network
(SACRAMENTO)
November is National Prematurity Awareness Month. UC Davis Children’s Hospital has partnered with a growing number of community hospitals to bring its nationally ranked neonatal care to more premature babies that require care in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs).
UC Davis Children’s Hospital partners with community hospitals to bring its nationally ranked neonatal care to more premature babies.
“Prematurity awareness shines a light on the risks and hardships created by premature births,” said Satyan Lakshminrusimha, chair of pediatrics and physician-in-chief at UC Davis Children’s Hospital. “It also reflects achievements in successfully treating premature infants and supports changes that support families who experience premature births.”
UC Davis Children’s Hospital serves as the Regional NICU partner for seven community NICU affiliates focused on supporting maternal child health care. These partners are found across UC Davis Health’s 33-county service area that stretches from Central California to the Oregon and Nevada borders. These are:
The partnerships aim to enhance quality of care, keep moms and babies together, and ensure patients receive the right care at the right place and the right time.
Our NICU network greatly increases the level of care available to babies in the region and decreases the need for transfers to UC Davis Children’s Hospital.” —Satyan Lakshminrusimha
UC Davis also has a California Children’s Services-designated High Risk Infant Follow-up clinic at the MIND Institute. The specialized clinic provides a developmental screening program to help families identify challenges and provide recommendations that assist NICU graduates with growth and development.
“It’s our mission to help families stay in their communities by bringing our advanced and highly specialized neonatal care to them,” Lakshminrusimha said. “Our NICU network greatly increases the level of care available to babies in the region and decreases the need for transfers to UC Davis Children’s Hospital.”
In addition, UC Davis has two prenatal diagnostic center clinics in Stockton and Sacramento, staffed by UC Davis maternal-fetal medicine physicians. These provide expectant mothers with comprehensive counseling, genetic screening and diagnostic testing for fetal anomalies such as chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and amniocentesis.
UC Davis Children’s Hospital was ranked 29th in the nation for neonatology by U.S. News & World Report in the 2022-2023 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings. UC Davis has a level IV-designated NICU (the highest possible rating) for the Sacramento region, providing expert clinical care for infants throughout Northern California, including those who are born very prematurely, are extremely ill, or require surgery.
