Inside Pediatrics Winter 2019

I t’s hard to believe another decade is almost in the books. The 2010s have been a time of tremendous growth for Children’s of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Pediatrics. In 2011, Children’s celebrated 100 years of providing specialized medical care for ill and injured children. What followed was our most significant expansion to date — the Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children — opening its doors in 2012. The expansion brought our capacity to 332 patient beds plus 48 neonatal intensive care unit bassinets and made possible the addition of two services — pediatric transplant and pediatric cardiovascular services. The extra space benefits not only our 5,000-plus member staff, but also our increasing inpatient and outpatient population. In 2018, Children’s provided care for youngsters from every county in Alabama, 42 other states and seven foreign countries, representing more than 677,000 outpatient visits and more than 15,000 inpatient admissions.

and heathier patients. In this issue, for example, Children’s nephrologist Dr. David Askenazi’s work to repurpose an adult ultrafiltration device for neonatal dialysis has proven to give babies a better chance of survival. Historically, dialysis has been performed sparingly in neonatal intensive care units due to severe complications. Today, Children’s is a pioneer in the treatment, moving the needle toward a commonplace ideal. We’re also moving the needle toward a more inclusive environment for patients with sensory sensitivities. Children’s Sensory Pathway launched as a pilot in our Emergency Department in 2016 and has since expanded to inpatient units. Spearheaded by a committee led by critical care physician Dr. Michele Kong, the pathway has made what was once a stressful patient and parent experience into a calmer one. Last but not least, physicians and staff in our adolescent medicine division in September cut the ribbon for their newly renovated Adolescent Health Center. The center is home to nine specialty clinics dedicated to both the physical and

psychosocial well-being of teenagers and young adults. Among the clinics is the multidisciplinary Leadership Education in Adolescent

Health (LEAH) Clinic, one of seven in the U.S. and the only one of its kind in the Southeast. As a new decade approaches, our commitment to children remains strong. Here’s to 2020 and continuing to uphold our mission of affecting and influencing positive change in children’s health and well-being.

Enjoy,

Every day, new advancements and research help create better outcomes

On the Cover: David Askenazi, M.D., MSPH, director of the Pediatric and Infant Center for Acute Nephrology at Children’s of Alabama, visits patient Kynadee McVey of Weogufka, Alabama. Kynadee receives dialysis treatment via the Aquadex FlexFlow® System. A recent study shows pediatric use of the Aquadex spearheaded at Children’s of Alabama yielded higher survival rates and lower complications than previous studies. Read more on page 10.

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