UConn Health Waterbury Hospital has partnered with Connecticut Children’s to expand its neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
The partnership will allow Waterbury Hospital to upgrade the designation for its NICU, to allow for the care of more severely ill babies, including babies with a critical illness, and those in need of surgeries or ventilators.
The expansion comes after years of neglect by the hospital’s previous owner Prospect Medical Holdings, a private equity-funded firm that is currently in bankruptcy proceedings. Connecticut Public previously reported on nursing shortages at the hospital and rusty equipment in the operating rooms.
Leadership at the facility said the partnership with Connecticut Children’s will improve access to health care for critically-ill babies and their families.
“Our goal in entering this partnership was to ensure that families in Greater Waterbury have access to the highest level of neonatal care at any time,” said Deborah Weymouth, president, UConn Health Waterbury Hospital.
Dr. David Sink, neonatologist and regional clinical director of neonatology at Connecticut Children’s, said it’s important that babies who need a higher level of care are able to stay closer to home.
“Having access to local neonatal care allows parents to spend more time at their baby’s bedside, makes a challenging experience more manageable and supports overall outcomes during a critical stage of development,” Sink said.
Waterbury Hospital joined the UConn Health network this March after the state stepped in to save the hospital from closure.
