CHLA Medical Group, Providence Saint John's to provide premium care for fragile newborns

Providence Saint John's Health Center is partnering with Children's Hospital Los Angeles Medical Group to raise the level of care for the most fragile newborns in the medical center's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), bringing world class neonatal care to Santa Monica and the surrounding Westside communities.

Providence Saint John's is home to The Maria Shriver Nursery, which is staffed by specially trained nurses 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is where newborns undergo routine care including health screenings and exams. Newborns with special medical needs are transferred to the Irene Dunne Guild Level III NICU to receive the health interventions they require.

CHLA Medical Group neonatologists Philippe Friedlich, MD, MS Epi, MBA, and Steven Chin, MD, MMSc, will lead the 18-bed Irene Dunne Guild NICU at Providence Saint John's. CHLA Medical Group specialists will collaborate with Saint John's physicians, nurses and therapists to advance the health center's neonatal care.

"We're eager to begin the New Year advancing the level of care for our tiniest patients," said Don Larsen, MD, Providence Saint John's chief medical officer. "CHLA is an academic medical center nationally recognized for pediatric care. By combining Saint John's tradition of excellence with the expertise of CHLA Medical Group neonatal specialists, our community will have 24/7 access to this specialized level of care close to home."

The CHLA Medical Group specialists and Providence Saint John's team of physicians, nurses and therapists will work collaboratively to enhance the level of care. "It's our Mission to provide access to the best quality and compassionate care to the vulnerable in our community," said Marcel Loh, Chief Executive of Providence Saint John's. "Our tiniest patients truly are vulnerable and will benefit from this collaboration."

CHLA President and Chief Executive Officer Paul S. Viviano says, "We want to thank the clinical leaders of Providence Saint John's for welcoming Children's Hospital Los Angeles Medical Group physicians to their community. As the premier pediatric academic medical center in California, we are proud to engage in a partnership that will expand care for critically-ill infants treated at Providence Saint John's."

"It's an honor and a privilege for our neonatologists to provide high-quality critical care, together with our Providence Saint John's colleagues, to families living in the Westside communities," says Larry Harrison, chief executive officer, Children's Hospital Los Angeles Medical Group. "CHLA Medical Group has had a presence in the community providing pediatric outpatient specialty care through our Children's Hospital Los Angeles—Santa Monica outpatient center. This partnership with Saint John's will enhance our ability to meet the needs of the Westside community with the highest level care for vulnerable and premature infants."

The partnership is an expansion of the relationship between Providence Health & Services, Children's Hospital Los Angeles and the Children's Hospital Los Angeles Medical Group. CHLA Medical Group physicians also oversee care in the NICU at Providence Holy Cross as well as at Providence Tarzana Medical Center, where physicians oversee care within the pediatric ICU and inpatient pediatric unit. Experts are available 24 hours a day, allowing families access to top-quality specialty care for their children, in their communities.