Connecticut Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Network Recognized Again for Delivering Best Care In State By U.S. News & World Report

Hartford, Conn- Connecticut Children’s neonatology program has again ranked best in the state in the 2022-2023 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospital rankings released today. Connecticut Children’s neonatology program was ranked in the Top 40 nationally by U.S. News & World Report, among more than 1,500 NICUs across the country.

Connecticut Children’s has established the largest newborn delivery services network in the state of Connecticut based on the number of hospitals for whom it provides neonatology care. In addition to Connecticut Children’s two NICUs located in Hartford and Farmington, Connecticut, the health system also provides newborn delivery services at 13 hospitals, across 2 states, including 9 total NICUs. Connecticut Children’s Care Alliance partnerships with adult health systems allow the system to deliver neonatal care that is the best in the region.

“We’re excited to bring our expertise to more babies in Connecticut and the region,” said Jim Moore, MD, Ph.D. neonatologist and President, Connecticut Children’s Specialty Group. “This is important for all families because Connecticut Children’s offers a truly comprehensive, regionalized, clinically integrated network for newborn care across the region. It means all babies who are with us for care will have all of their healthcare needs cared for by the best pediatric experts from birth to young adulthood.”

Connecticut Children’s drives innovation across its newborn delivery service locations by sharing best practices and protocols across the network, and ensuring that family centered rounding is done for every patient. It also practices family centered care by moving patients to the right location for the care they need, but then returning them to their home hospital when they no longer need that higher level of care.

In 2021, Connecticut Children’s cared for more than half of all NICU babies in the state. The Connecticut Department of Public Health chose Connecticut Children’s to develop and oversee the Connecticut Newborn Diagnosis and Treatment Network for the state- work that earned a “Cutting Edge Practice” award from the Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs. Connecticut Children’s NICU nursing team is also Magnet-designated, an achievement earned by only 7% of the nation’s hospitals.

“The recognition from U.S. News & World Report is a testament to our dedicated physicians, nurses and team members who have continued to deliver compassionate care for the sickest children during the pandemic and beyond. We are advancing research and finding cures to some common ailments that affect pre-term and high risk infants,” said Jim Shmerling, President & CEO, Connecticut Children’s. “We continue to expand our care network, making it easier than ever for our patient families to access the care they need, when they need it and most importantly where they need it; close to home.”

In addition to its Top 40 neonatology ranking, Connecticut Children’s was also ranked in the Top 50 programs nationally by U.S. News & World Report in gastroenterology and GI surgery, as well as in urology.

About Connecticut Children’s
Connecticut Children’s is the only health system in Connecticut dedicated exclusively to the care of children and ranked one of the best children’s hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and a Magnet®-designated hospital. Connecticut Children’s provides more than 30 pediatric specialties by Video Visit and at lots of locations close to home, along with community-based programs to uniquely care for the physical, social and emotional needs of children. Our team of pediatric experts and care coordinators bring access to breakthrough research, advanced treatments for both rare and common diseases, and innovative health and safety programs to every child. Connecticut Children’s is a not-for-profit organization with a mission to improve access to health care for all children through convenient locations, care alliances and partnerships.