Pediatrics is an invaluable part of healthcare. Children between the ages of zero and 18 require specific considerations; ones which pediatric specialists have unique knowledge about.

Dr. Joe Henderson, Pediatric Hospitalist at UChicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital and Riverside Healthcare, understands this need and has been serving as a pediatric specialist for many

years. Here, he shares more information about what a pediatric hospitalist does and the relationship between the children’s hospital and Riverside.

Pediatric Specialists: Fulfilling a Great Need

One reason pediatric hospitalists are so important is that they are able to lift some of the burden placed upon community pediatricians. Having a pediatric hospitalist present at the hospital 24 hours a day means there is always an expert available to assist with everything from labor and delivery to potential emergencies on the pediatric floor.

“The partnership works by having a pediatric hospitalist from the University of Chicago cover 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year in the hospital. By doing this, we are able to keep kids closer to home, because that’s the ultimate goal. If we can avoid having to transfer a patient to the university or another tertiary center, it saves a lot of time, money, and burden on the family,” states Dr. Henderson.

What Does a Pediatric Specialist’s Typical Day Look Like?

Dr. Henderson and his colleagues typically start the day with rounds of the healthy newborns. This is strategic, as they don’t want to go up to the pediatric ward where a child might have a cold—and then bring those germs back down to the nursery.

“We try to do family-centered rounds, which encourages the parents to be involved when we come and see the patient. We’ll go over the plan for the day with the families. Then, at that point, we’ll see if they have any questions or concerns, and that’s really their time to voice those concerns so we can address them,” notes Dr. Henderson.

After they’ve visited all their patients and their family members, hospitalists are “on call” and available if the need arises for help with a delivery, a consultation, an emergency, or admissions.

Collaboration Improves Patient Outcomes

Once a month, the hospitalists attend a pediatric quality meeting, which is a multidisciplinary meeting that includes nurses, nursing managers, representation from the emergency department, and community pediatricians. During this time, these professionals review policies and guidelines, making sure they are all up to date. They also perform an analysis all of the transfers that occurred over the past weeks to try to identify ways to improve patient care.

“We have a very good relationship with our community pediatricians. We talk to them pretty much every day. We are here to give them updates on patients that are currently admitted,” explains Dr. Henderson. “For example, if there is a patient who had a complicated hospital course, we will call them at discharge and give them an update so they are fully informed when the patient has a follow-up appointment with them.”

The Wheels Up Program: Optimizing Preterm Delivery

The Wheels Up program, in collaboration with the University of Chicago, is just one initiative that focuses on labor and delivery. This program is designed to optimize outcomes of preterm labor. If a woman goes into labor early, the transfer team is alerted and subsequently sends a team of specialists (respiratory therapist, nurse practitioner, etc.) to stabilize the woman and get her to an appropriate tertiary center.

“We are lucky in that we have the relationship with the University of Chicago, because we have helped enact policies, protocols, and guidelines for specific pediatric emergencies,” shares Dr. Henderson.

Put Your Trust in the Experts

In his years of experience as a pediatric specialist, Dr. Henderson has learned the job is not without challenges. One he notes specifically is the amount of disinformation available online, both on websites and social media platforms.

“We always have to remember that the internet can be a great place for resources, but it’s not always correct. Physicians and nurses and other healthcare professionals are not always the ones who are providing that information online. So, just take caution when you’re looking for recommendations,” he urges.

For more information about pediatric specialists click here.