Community Medical Center Announces Addition of Neonatologists On-site 24 Hours a Day in Special Care Nursery Round-the-Clock Specialty Care Now Available for Smallest Patients TOMS RIVER, N.J., JUNE 16, 2006 – Community Medical Center, an affiliate of the Saint Barnabas Health Care System, has announced the addition of neonatologists onsite 24 hours a day in its Special Care nursery to provide advanced support to newborn infants who are premature or who have problems at birth. Community Medical Center has always had a neonatologist on-call for emergencies, but by bringing the service in house 24 hours a day, Community now ensures that a neonatologist is only seconds away and always available whenever he or she is needed. A neonatologist is a specially trained doctor who has completed four years of medical school, three years of residency training in general pediatrics, and three years of additional training in a neonatology fellowship. They handle the most complex and high-risk situations. If a baby is born premature, has a serious illness, injury, birth defect or other unexpected problems at birth, a neonatologist can assist at both the time of delivery and in the subsequent care of the newborn. Jerome Hric, MD, director of Neonatology at Community, said, “The vast majority of births are normal and healthy. However, when there are problems, fast intervention is critical. The first five minutes are the “golden period” when a neonatologist can make the most difference.” Dr. Hric added, “If a baby is not breathing, for instance, resuscitation in the first five minutes can prevent brain damage and other long-term problems. As the minutes pass, the chance for complete success drops dramatically.” Low birth weight babies and babies born by Cesarean section may need more help in the first minutes and days to get them off to a strong start. “Small and premature infants have delicate systems that need special support,” Dr. Hric explained. “They are more fragile than full-term babies. They often need special medications or treatments to help them thrive while their lungs, immune systems and blood vessels mature.” Community Medical Center and its affiliate hospital Kimball Medical Center in Lakewood are the only two community hospitals in Ocean County to offer 24-hour-a-day onsite neonatology services. Mark D. Pilla, executive vice president of Operations for the Saint Barnabas Health Care System and executive director of Community Medical Center, said, “This is an exciting advance for our hospital, but most importantly, a very vital benefit for the mothers who deliver their children at Community. This level of care is most commonly found at large academic medical centers, so bringing in-house neonatologists to our community hospital is a very significant stride.” Pilla went on to explain that having neonatologists at the hospital allow babies needing this level of care to remain at Community Medical Center after delivery with their mothers, as opposed to being transported out to another facility where this type of care is available. “Such transfers separate families at a stressful time,” Pilla said. “Now premature and fragile babies can stay at Community Medical Center with their mothers, getting expert care, until they are strong enough to go home. Keeping mother and baby together not only promotes healthy bonding, but provides greater comfort to patients, obstetricians and pediatricians.” Dr. Hric said he and his team of neonatologists will work in collaboration with a patient’s pediatrician immediately after a baby’s birth. They will be present at all high risk emergent Cesearean deliveries and most scheduled ones. In addition, the neonatologists at Community will be available for consultation in the hospital’s Emergency Department and Pediatrics Unit for babies two months old and younger. Pilla said, “We are always looking for ways to improve patient care, and this is a big step. It’s a great new service for the families of Ocean County.” Community Medical Center’s First Moments Maternity Services Unit includes beautifully designed birthing rooms fully equipped with modern birthing beds, advanced maternal and fetal monitoring technology and emergency equipment to ensure the utmost safety for mother and baby. The facility also maintains two fully equipped operating suites to accommodate both Cesarean and high-risk deliveries. In addition to the hospital’s Newborn Nursery, Community also has a Level II Special Care Nursery for premature newborns born at 32 weeks or greater, and newborns in need of specialized medical treatment. A team of neonatal nurses work in collaboration with the neonatologists to provide comprehensive expert medical care utilizing the latest technology. “We want Community Medical Center to be a safe place for parents, infants and the physicians who care for them, and we are committed to offering the best possible care for every baby born in our hospital” Pilla added. “It’s important for the people of Ocean County to continue to have access to high-quality obstetric services, and by adding neonatologists on-site, we now offer the best model of care for the best possible outcomes.” For more information about Community Medical Center’s maternity services or to find an obstetrician affiliated with the hospital, call 1-888-724-7123. CONTACT: Kristine A. Brown
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