Silver Cross Offers Enhanced Services for Expectant Families

By Tracy Simons, Silver Cross Hospital

With the opening of the new Silver Cross Hospital in 2012, in the past two years, the physicians and nursing team delivered over 5,000 babies. Nearly half of all babies in Will County are now born at Silver Cross Hospital. 

“More and more families are choosing Silver Cross for the birth of their first, second or even third child,” said Marilyn Paollela, Director of Women and Infant Services at Silver Cross Hospital. “And although patients are giving us high marks for the care we provide, we are always looking at how we can improve the birthing experience.”

According to Press, Ganey, a national patient satisfaction survey organization, the Silver Cross Birthing Center ranks in the top 5 percent in the country. And, several of the obstetrician/gynecologists on the Hospital’s Medical Staff rank in the top 1 percent nationally for patient satisfaction. 

They are John Bush, D.O. (Frankfort/Orland Park); Franciso Garcini, M.D.(New Lenox); Thomas Kazmierczak, D.O. (Morris); Maureen Mietelski, D.O. (Frankfort/Orland Park); and Peter Vienne Jr., D.O. (Morris).

A sponsored article by Silver Cross Hospital. 

Specialists In-House 24/7

For the past 18 years, Silver Cross has partnered with Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago (formerly Children’s Memorial Hospital) to ensure that a specially trained neonatologist or pediatric hospitalist is onsite 24/7. And if needed, Lurie Children’s pediatric cardiologists are available to analyze a baby’s echocardiogram in real time through a video linkage with Silver Cross.

“Having a doctor from Children’s immediately available is a benefit since they can provide expert specialty care to newborns that may otherwise need to be transported to Chicago or a specialty center outside the community,” Paollela said.    “And if a newborn needs follow-up specialist care, Lurie Children's outpatient clinic is conveniently located on our hospital campus.

In addition to neonatologists/pediatric hospitalists, patients can find comfort in knowing that Silver Cross has made sure that an obstetrician/gynecologist and anesthesiologist is also now available in the hospital 24/7. 

Level II Nursery with Extended Capabilities

At Silver Cross, the top priority is to make sure that patients of all ages receive the best possible care.  

Therefore, the Hospital voluntarily sought designation by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for having a Level II Nursery with extended neonatal capabilities. This designation means that the state recognizes Silver Cross Hospital’s ability to care for low-birth-weight infants (2 pounds, 12 ounces or greater), premature infants (30 or more weeks gestation), and infants on mechanical ventilators. Now, few babies ever need to be transferred to specialized neonatal care centers.

“This recognition is significant because it ensures the community that Silver Cross has demonstrated that we have highly-skilled physicians and nurses on staff, as well as state-of-the art facilities, equipment and supplies that are needed to provide more complex care to high risk mothers and their babies,” Paolella said.

First-time mom Amanda Stroud is thrilled with the highly-skilled care her infant son is receiving at Silver Cross’ Level II Nursery with extended neonatal capabilities.

Amanda’s newborn son, Jordan, was born six and half weeks early on July 3 and will more than likely being staying in the special care nursery until his original due date of August 18. As a result, his lungs weren’t fully developed which required him to need extended care on oxygen in an isolate.

“My husband and I are so comfortable having Jordan cared for by the wonderful nurses in Silver Cross’ Special Care Nursery,” said the Joliet resident. “The nurses are so knowledgeable on how to tend to his special needs and are so patient in teaching us how to care for him. And we feel so blessed to have him receive this special care at Silver Cross Hospital which is close to our home.”

In addition to the special skills nursery, Silver Cross has brought together cutting-edge medical technology with spa-like amenities in each of the 12 luxurious birthing suites and 30 mother-baby (postpartum) suites. 

Each suite was designed so parents can have the convenience of staying in the same room through recovery followed by a stay in one of the private mother-baby suites.  Each private suite is fully-equipped with a bathroom with a shower and some have an immersion tub to help with labor pains, blanket warmer, refrigerator, wireless internet access, 30-inch flat screen TV system and a comfortable sofa-sleeper so family members can stay around the clock.  

Schedule a tour or get more information about the new Silver Cross Women and Infant Birthing Center here. For a referral to an obstetrician/gynecologist or pediatrician on staff at Silver Cross, go to www.silvercross.org or call 1-888-660-HEAL.