There have been no recent changes to the care we provide for our pediatric population.
As a community hospital, we are proud to take care of our friends and neighbors, including the children in this region. We continue to provide:
- emergency care for our pediatric patients, which may include treatment and discharge to home.
- stabilization for our pediatric patients and transfer to a higher level of care, such as Albany Medical Center.
- pediatric surgical care and overnight care for pediatric post-operative patients.
- dedicated pediatric hospitalist service that manages our newborns in the Joyce Stock Snuggery and hospitalized pediatric patients after surgery.
- pediatric hospitalists, also available for pediatric patients that require a consultation in the hospital or the emergency department.
Of most importance – please remember, pediatric emergency conditions need immediate evaluation by the nearest emergency healthcare facility. Any delay getting to an emergency department could be life threatening, as children tend to deteriorate more quickly than adults once signs of distress are noticed.
A few other important facts about pediatrics:
- There have been no recent changes to the care we provide for our pediatric population.
- The physical unit referenced in the headline of an article by the Post Star on November 11, 2019 closed approximately 3 years ago, in the Fall of 2016. This was formerly our ‘Kids Cove’ on 2 North.
- The unit closed due to low census, with an average daily census of between 0 and 2 medical-surgical patients.
- During this time, we continued to care for a low volume of pediatric patients, but not within a dedicated unit. We have had very limited capacity to admit pediatric cases for several years.
- As inpatient pediatric cases declined, it became difficult to retain adequate numbers of experienced pediatric-trained nurses and maintain their competency to safely care for pediatric patients.
- Today, most pediatric illnesses are generally managed in an outpatient setting, while those with acute care needs are typically referred to larger medical centers with pediatric specialty services.
- Until the opening of our Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) in June 2018, we regularly admitted pediatric patients with behavioral health needs awaiting transfer to a pediatric behavioral health unit. The CSU is now able to stabilize this population in a safer milieu until a bed is available in a clinically appropriate setting.
- We were one of, and possibly the last, community hospital to maintain pediatric inpatient services in this region. Community hospitals don’t typically have inpatient pediatric services for acute medical conditions.
We continue to provide our community with an extremely qualified medical and nursing staff throughout Glens Falls Hospital and in our Emergency Department, Perioperative Services and ambulatory Health Centers and Specialty Offices.
Patients and community members with questions may always contact us for further information. You can submit a question on our website, message us on Facebook, or call our Patient Experience office at 518.926.3450.