For several decades, CHOC has offered highly specialized care for the most critically ill babies. CHOC’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) proudly offers 67 beds in Orange, 22 beds in Mission Viejo, and a team of premier neonatologists who provide coverage at hospitals throughout Southern California.
To enhance our patient- and family-centered care experience and meet the growing demand for services, CHOC will expand its NICU with the build out of 36 private rooms, with potential for more beds in a second construction phase. Located on the fourth floor of the state-of-the-art Bill Holmes Tower, the expanded unit is scheduled to open in summer 2017.
Private NICU rooms are setting a new standard for improved patient outcomes. A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics found that infants cared for in single-family rooms weighed more at discharge and gained weight more rapidly than those cared for in an open design. Also, they required fewer medical procedures, had increased attention, and experienced less stress, lethargy and pain. The researchers attributed these findings to increased maternal involvement.
Further, the private-room setting provides the space and privacy that parents need in order to be more intimately involved in the care of their baby, including breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact, and parents can actually spend the night with their child. In addition, private rooms give staff more access to and interaction with the family and patient.
The unit will also feature a multipurpose family room, additional office space and other enhanced amenities.
CHOC’s NICU was recently named one of the nation’s “top 25” by U.S. News & World Report, reflecting the NICU team’s unwavering commitment to the highest standards of patient care and safety.
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Learn more about CHOC’s Neonatology Services
CHOC Hospital was named one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report in its 2024-25 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings and ranked in the neonatology specialty.
