CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF THE KING'S DAUGHTERS

FOR SIX DECADES, CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF THE KING'S DAUGHTERS (CHKD) HAS BEEN THE ONLY FACILITY OF ITS KIND IN VIRGINIA, SERVING THE MEDICAL AND SURGICAL NEEDS OF CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE STATE. ITS PRIMARY SERVICE AREA ENCOMPASSES GREATER HAMPTON ROADS, THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA AND NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA, A REGION THAT IS HOME TO APPROXIMATELY 500,000 CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 21. CHKD WAS ESTABLISHED AS AN 88-BED, NOT-FOR-PROFIT HOSPITAL IN 1961 BY THE KING'S DAUGHTERS, A WOMEN'S SERVICE ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO THE HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF THE COMMUNITY'S INDIGENT CHILDREN. THE HOSPITAL HAS ALWAYS UPHELD THE CHARITABLE MISSION OF ITS FOUNDERS, AND IN FY2023, OVER 55.5 PERCENT OF ITS INPATIENT DAYS WERE COVERED BY MEDICAID. OVER THE PAST 60 YEARS, CHKD'S HOSPITAL HAS GROWN INTO AN EXTENSIVE PEDIATRIC HEALTH CARE SYSTEM THAT INCLUDES A 206-BED TEACHING HOSPITAL, AND A NEW MENTAL HEALTH TOWER, CHILDREN'S PAVILION, THAT WILL ACCOMMODATE 60 INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC BEDS. THE SYSTEM PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL CARE TO CHILDREN AT THE MAIN HOSPITAL, CHILDREN'S PAVILION, AND MULTI-SERVICE HEALTH CENTERS IN VIRGINIA BEACH, NEWPORT NEWS, CHESAPEAKE, HAMPTON, SUFFOLK, NORFOLK AND WILLIAMSBURG. ITS SERVICES INCLUDE EVERYTHING FROM WELLNESS AND PREVENTION INITIATIVE TO PRIMARY CARE, SURGERY AND REHABILITATION. MANY OF ITS UNIQUE SERVICES AND PROGRAMS ADDRESS PRESSING PUBLIC HEALTH NEEDS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE GO UNMET. CHKD COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION OF A MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY IN 2022 IN RESPONSE TO THE GROWING NEED FOR PEDIATRIC PSYCHIATRIC CARE - IN APRIL OF 2022 CHILDREN'S PAVILION OPENED TO OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, PRIMARY PEDIATRIC CARE, SPORTS MEDICINE, AND LABORATORY AND RADIOLOGY SERVICES. IN OCTOBER OF 2022 THE FIRST INPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH BEDS OPENED. THE 14-STORY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER ALSO HAS INDOOR AND OUTDOOR EXERCISE AREAS, AND ROOMS FOR OUTPATIENT SERVICES. AS THE PREMIER PROVIDER OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO THE REGION'S CHILDREN, CHKD HAS SECURED A PLACE IN THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY. THE HOSPITAL IS AN EAGER COLLABORATOR WITH OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS THAT SHARE ITS CONCERN FOR THE WELL-BEING OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND OFFERS A VARIETY OF EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND HEALTH INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF CHILDREN IN THIS COMMUNITY AND BEYOND. THE HEALTH SYSTEM'S PRIMARY SERVICES CENTER ON INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT CARE, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS AND MEDICAL EDUCATION/RESEARCH. SECTION ONE: INPATIENT CARE CHILDREN WITH A VAST RANGE OF MEDICAL PROBLEMS INCLUDING LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESSES AND INJURIES TURN TO CHKD FOR INPATIENT CARE. IN FY23, CHKD HAD 4,912 ADMISSIONS RESULTING IN 47,779 PATIENT DAYS. APPROXIMATELY 55.5 PERCENT OF THESE DAYS WERE COVERED BY MEDICAID. CHKD HAS 206 INPATIENT BEDS AND ALMOST HALF OF THOSE ARE FOR PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE. THE HOSPITAL IS HOME TO THE REGION'S HIGHEST LEVEL NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT, WHERE EACH YEAR CRITICALLY ILL NEWBORNS, SOME AS YOUNG AS 22 WEEKS GESTATION, BENEFIT FROM A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF ADVANCED MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL CARE, FAMILY SUPPORT, AND PALLIATIVE CARE. IN SEPTEMBER 2020, A RENOVATION OF THE NICU WAS COMPLETED CREATING 50 PRIVATE ROOMS AND 10 SEMI-PRIVATE ROOMS TO CREATE A MORE INDIVIDUALIZED AND FAMILY CENTERED APPROACH, GIVING FAMILIES MORE PRIVACY TO BOND WITH THEIR BABIES. THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 515 ADMISSIONS TO THE NICU IN FY23. THE REGION'S LARGEST AND MOST EXPERIENCED PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT IS AT CHKD. IN THIS UNIT, A FULL-TIME STAFF OF BOARD-CERTIFIED PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE PHYSICIANS, CRITICAL CARE NURSES AND RESPIRATORY THERAPISTS PROVIDE EXTREMELY SOPHISTICATED, TECHNOLOGICALLY-ADVANCED CARE TO CHILDREN WITH LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES AND ILLNESSES. MEDICAL CARE IS SUPPLEMENTED WITH SUPPORT FROM CHILD LIFE SPECIALISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS AND CHAPLAINS WHO HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE HELPING FAMILIES THROUGH THE TRAUMA AND STRESS OF A SEVERE ILLNESS OR INJURY IN A CHILD. THERE WERE 1,413 ADMISSIONS TO THE PICU IN FY23. MANY PATIENTS ARE BROUGHT FROM OTHER AREA HOSPITALS TO CHKD BY THE HOSPITAL'S NEONATAL/PEDIATRIC TRANSPORT PROGRAM, WHICH OPERATES OUT OF FOUR FULLY-EQUIPPED MOBILE INTENSIVE CARE UNITS. TWO EMT CERTIFIED CRITICAL CARE TRANSPORT TEAMS ARE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK TO ALL AREA MEDICAL FACILITIES THAT NEED TO SEND SICK OR INJURED CHILDREN TO CHKD. CHKD TRANSPORT TEAMS ARE EQUIPPED AND TRAINED TO TRANSPORT ALL TRAUMA PATIENTS UNDER THE AGE OF 15 TO CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF THE KING'S DAUGHTERS FOR SPECIALIZED PEDIATRIC TRAUMA CARE. EACH CRITICAL CARE TRANSPORT CALL IS ANSWERED BY A CERTIFIED EMT-B NEONATAL/PEDIATRIC CRITICAL CARE NURSE, A CERTIFIED EMT-B REGISTERED RESPIRATORY THERAPIST AND A CERTIFIED EMT PARAMEDIC TRAINED IN NEONATAL/PEDIATRIC CARE. IN FY23, THE TEAM TRANSPORTED 1,640 PATIENTS. OF THOSE, 380 WERE NEWBORNS IN NEED OF NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE. CHKD'S TRANSPORT SERVICE IS ALSO UNDER CONTRACT TO THE NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER, PORTSMOUTH, TO PROVIDE ALL CRITICAL CARE NEONATAL AND PEDIATRIC MILITARY TRANSPORTS IN THE REGION. BESIDES GROUND TRANSPORTS IN OUR MOBILE ICUS OR ACUTE CARE TRANSPORT, THE TEAM CAN RESPOND VIA FIXED WING AIRCRAFT OR HELICOPTER TRANSPORT WHEN MEDICALLY NECESSARY. CHKD TRANSFER CENTER IS STAFFED WITH PARAMEDICS WHO OPERATE TO ENSURE APPROPRIATE DISPATCH SERVICES TO THE TRANSPORT TEAM AS WELL AS TO DELIVER ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT FOR REFERRAL FACILITIES AND STAFF THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.