Children's National Partners with Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center's NICU
Washington, DC – The Division of Neonatology at Children’s National Health System has partnered with the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center to extend expert neonatal care to the Woodbridge, Va., metropolitan area.
The only neonatal program in the region ranked in the national top 10 by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s National neonatologists will provide Level 1 (well-baby nursery) and Level 2 (intermediate nursery) coverage within the Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center NICU. It will be closely linked to the Level IV NICU at Children’s National main campus. Additionally, the neonatologists will work alongside hospital staff and on-staff obstetricians to determine care for newborns, as well as mother and baby treatment plans.
“We are excited to partner with such an esteemed organization and bring this high-quality, specialized service to the families of our community,” says Marlene Bolster, Vice President of Operations for Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center.
Medical Director Ashraf Afifi, MD, leads a team of neonatologists and neonatal nurse practitioners in providing outstanding care of neonatal patients at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center.
Billie Lou Short, MD, Chief of Neonatology at Children’s National says, “the goal of this partnership is to provide cutting-edge care for sick newborns in an environment that allows considerate and compassionate relationships with our patients and families, while fostering a close partnership with our referring institutions and physicians.”
This partnership serves as an example of Children’s National Health System’s ongoing effort to extend and advance service to communities outside the walls of the central hospital location and help enhance the care of newborn patients closer to home.