How Your Child Can Benefit From A Pediatric Hospitalist

With a visit to a pediatrician, you can expect your child to maintain a healthy lifestyle as they grow, all while addressing any concerning illnesses. Still, some conditions may require hospital care and even a visit to the emergency room. Pediatric hospitalists, or pediatricians who specialize in providing care to hospitalized children, bring their compassionate care to children to a hospital setting and work with their pediatrician and other healthcare providers for the best possible outcome for your child.

Sandra Ndiaye, DO, a pediatric hospitalist with Lurie Children's Hospital who brings her skills to Franciscan Health Crown Point, explains how your child can benefit from the care of a pediatric hospitalist.

What's The Role Of A Pediatric Hospitalist?

If your child is admitted to the hospital, a pediatric hospitalist may become part of their care team. Pediatric hospitalists treat children with a variety of illnesses and medical needs requiring hospitalization.

"We as pediatric hospitalists primarily take care of children who are admitted to the hospital, including sick children that need to be on the pediatric acute care floor and babies born in the nursery," Dr. Ndiaye said.

Pediatric hospitalists also can assist with treating ill babies and children visiting the emergency room.

How Does A Pediatric Hospitalist Work With My Child's Pediatrician?

Exceptional patient care requires teamwork, such as children receiving care from their regular pediatrician, pediatric nurses, respiratory therapists and a pediatric hospitalist.

"Within our Franciscan team, we have Franciscan outpatient pediatricians who take care of the kids in the community who visit their pediatrician in the clinic," Dr. Ndiaye said.

Pediatric hospitalists often are responsible for coordinating hospital discharge plans and follow-up care with the child's primary care physician. "When the child goes home from the hospital, we'll reach out to the pediatrician and make sure we discuss any tests that need following or anything that doesn't seem standard, and close the loop so that they can continue on with the outpatient care," Dr. Ndiaye said.

What Can I Expect For My Newborn Child's Care From A Pediatric Hospitalist?

"If a healthy baby is born at Franciscan Crown Point, for example, they're going with their mom to the postpartum unit," Dr. Ndiaye said. "The baby will be rooming-in with their mom in the postpartum unit while the pediatrician sees the baby every day that they're in the unit."

She explained that pediatric hospitalists can check on the baby and answer the mother's questions.

"If the baby is not doing well and needs to go to the NICU for some monitoring or supportive care, there's a team of experienced neonatologists who will take care of the infants," Dr. Ndiaye said.

What Are The Benefits Of Having A Pediatric Hospitalist?

The benefits of care pediatric hospitalists provide revolve around their skills as a provider and their collaborative care with other healthcare professionals.

"Our team in Franciscan Health Crown Point is a collaboration with Lurie Children's Hospital based out of Chicago and the Franciscan Health Services system," Dr. Ndiaye said. "We have a team of Lurie Children's Pediatric Hospitalists that are in-house all day and night to care for children that visit the hospital along with their families."

Dr. Ndiaye explained that providers will meet the child's family, escort them up to the pediatric floor and ensure the child has everything they need to get better. She explained that providers will collaborate with the nurses and families constantly each day and if patients need care throughout the night.

Additional Care Input From Other Healthcare Specialists

"We want to help the children go home as soon as they're ready from the hospital," Dr. Ndiaye said. "We have the ability to call our pediatric specialists at any time and have a conversation about child care in the hospital."

She explained that hospitalists are able to contact infectious disease specialists, kidney specialists or heart specialists as needed, which helps to make sure they're looking at the patient's case with specialist input.