State’s largest NICU network becomes highest ranked Neonatology program in Connecticut

Hartford, Conn- Connecticut Children’s neonatology program has outranked its local competitors in the 2018-2019 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospital rankings released today. Connecticut Children’s neonatology program was ranked in the Top 30 nationally by U.S. News & World Report, among more than 1,500 NICUs across the country.

Connecticut Children’s has also 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 Medical Center also provides newborn delivery services at 9 hospitals, including five additional NICUs. Hospital partners include Hartford HealthCare (4 hospitals), Western Connecticut Health Network (2 hospitals, set to launch July 1), Ascension (St. Vincent’s Medical Center), Eastern Connecticut Health Network (Manchester Hospital), and Day Kimball Healthcare.

“We’re excited to bring our expertise to more babies in Connecticut,” said Jim Moore, MD, Division Chief for Neonatology at Connecticut Children’s. “My goal is for Connecticut Children’s to develop a truly comprehensive, regionalized, clinically integrated network for newborn care across the state.”

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. Connecticut Children’s is implementing virtual health across its newborn delivery service network, having recently gone live in its NICU at UConn Health’s John Dempsey Hospital, with other hospital partner locations to follow this summer.

“The recognition from U.S. News & World Report is a testament to our dedicated physicians, nurses and staff who care for the sickest children while working tirelessly on advancing research and clinical outcomes at the Medical Center,” said Jim Shmerling, President & CEO at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. “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 30 neonatology ranking, Connecticut Children’s was also ranked in the Top 50 nationally by U.S. News & World Report in Cardiology and Heart Surgery, Diabetes and Endocrinology and Urology.

Attached: photos of NICU rooms, Dr. Jim Moore headshot

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About Connecticut Children’s Medical Center

Connecticut Children’s Medical Center is the only hospital in Connecticut dedicated exclusively to the care of children and is ranked by U.S. News & World Report and Women’s Choice as one of the best children’s hospitals in the nation. With a medical staff of more than 1,000, Connecticut Children’s provides comprehensive, world-class health care in more than 30 pediatric specialties and subspecialties. Connecticut Children’s Medical Center is a not-for-profit organization, which serves as the primary pediatric teaching hospital for the UConn School of Medicine, has a teaching partnership with the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University and is a research partner of The Jackson Laboratory. Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health is a national leader in community-based prevention and wellness programs.