MDNews - Greater Kansas

COVER FEATURE Michael Wolfe, M.D., MFM, with a new arrival on average have been below national levels," says Dr. Ansari. "We have very good clinical service. We have zero infection. Infant mortality within the last six months — not a single baby. We are very proud of our outcomes." Designed for Success The NICU utilizes a spacious open environment that allows babies to be closely monitored while additionally pro- viding quiet, private spaces for families. "We encourage parents to participate in the care of the babies as soon as it is feasible, and the spaces are designed to facilitate medical staff as well as family," Dr. Ansari says. "Each bed can be easily enclosed for breastfeeding, skin-to-skin contact and quiet time for families and babies." Mothers are strongly encouraged to give their babies breast milk, and the unit includes a spacious lactation room and certifi ed lactation nurses on staff to provide support as well as a room that breastfeeding mothers may use, as 8 | Greater Kansas MD NEWS n MDNEWS.COM available, for overnight stays after they've been discharged from the hospital. "Every aspect of the design is family- oriented, warm and welcoming," says Dr. Ansari. "This is the place where they are spending the fi rst special moments as a family, and we try to reflect the special, sacred moments their time here represents." Servant Leaders The Via Christi NICU staff upholds a spirit of servant leadership, providing what patients need to make them safe and comfortable. "The babies belong to the parents. Our staff does all that they can to accommodate parents in every way," Dr. Ansari says. "The parents are not a bother or a hindrance, and should never be viewed that way. Their questions should be answered immediately and, for this reason, we maintain full availability. Parents have our phone numbers and are free to call when they need questions answered or reassurance." Michael Wolfe, M.D., Maternal Fetal Medicine physician with Via Christi Clinic The home- like décor and atmosphere of the uni t ref lect s the spi r i t wi t h w h i c h i t is infused. "For a parent with a child in NICU, for a t ime, this is home — not our home, but their home. Further, the stresses that they are enduring make it even more important for staff to tread lightly and allow the parents to own the moment and the space for a time. We do our job of providing exceptional care, but do so with high regard to the entire family," Dr. Ansari refl ects. In a time when it is easy to let technol- ogy be the center of focus, Via Christi has succeeded in leveraging all of the latest technology while putting the heart back in health care. n

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