Brandon Regional Hospital has completed a $16.5 million expansion project of its Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Phase one of a two-phase project, the recent expansion will allow the hospital to provide care for 70 percent to 80 percent more infants per year. The NICU houses on-site neonatologists and maternal-fetal medicine specialists that have dedicated their careers to providing specialized care to babies requiring extra medical attention after birth.
The expanded NICU provides many benefits to infants and families, including an expanded space measuring over 22,000 square feet, more than 65 percent larger than the former NICU; an increase of 14 beds, taking the total bed count to 36; 14 private rooms, including two rooms designed for twins; monitored rooms; infant safety/abduction prevention system; NicView Web Cam video streaming system that allows parents to view their infant(s) 24/7; an isolation room; and education room.
“The NICU team at Brandon Regional Hospital is committed to providing high-quality care to babies that are in need of specialized treatment,” said Angel Luciano, MD, medical director of neonatology. “Having a larger NICU space will allow us to serve the needs of more infants in our community at a local level. Our goal is to help babies live a healthy and happy life.”
Additional features in the new space include an expanded physician work area, multiple charting areas, larger nutrition preparation room and a multipurpose room.
Services and other benefits provided in Brandon Regional Hospital’s NICU include advanced respiratory services, pediatric surgery, pediatric neurology, pediatric cardiology, lactation consultants, specialized speech therapists, neonatal nurse practitioners and certified neonatal nurses. Specialized infant beds that convert from an incubator are also on-site.
The second phase of the expansion project will include additional private patient rooms, storage space and a lounge for caregivers. Phase two is scheduled to be completed this spring.
Accredited by The Joint Commission, Brandon Regional Hospital is a 436-bed acute care facility that is nationally ranked as a Top 100 Hospital by IBM Watson, a Top Teaching Hospital by The Leapfrog Group, a U.S. News & World Report High-Performing Hospital in COPD and Heart Failure and a Leapfrog Group ‘A’ for patient safety.
For more information about the NICU at Brandon Regional Hospital, visit https://brandonhospital.com/specialties/nicu.
