Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children and Christiana Care Health System have partnered to provide a program designed to help bring swift assistance to mothers and babies with prenatally diagnosed conditions.
The Nemours & Christiana Care Advanced Delivery Program is the first of its kind in Delaware for babies with prenatal diagnoses requiring surgical/non-surgical intervention.
“We are excited to partner with our colleagues at Nemours. Together, we will continue our long legacies of providing innovative care to our community,” said Janice E. Nevin, MD, MPH, Christiana Care president and chief executive officer. “As we serve together, the collective expertise of our blended caregiver teams will offer a unique and loving experience for moms and their babies.”
The program allows both the delivery and the specialized care the baby needs afterward to occur in one location at Nemours duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington. Delivery will be led by the obstetrical team from Christiana Care, while post-delivery intervention will be managed by pediatric subspecialists from Nemours. The two teams will be fully integrated, from initial diagnosis through post-intervention care.
The family’s obstetrician, who plays a critical role in the care and comfort of expectant mothers, is an integral member of the care team, before and after delivery. Together, all of these physicians and surgeons can optimize outcomes for babies with congenital abnormalities, while enhancing the experience for mothers. Referrals from clinicians have begun, with deliveries starting in September 2019.
The program will be co-led by medical directors representing both organizations: Joanna Costa, MD, Nemours neonatologist and Margaret R. Chou, MD, Christiana Care Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Clinicians in the unit expect to treat about 30 expectant mothers in the first year of operation.
“This level of collaborative care is a real game-changer in our area and has the potential to make a real difference in the lives of the tiniest patients we are privileged to serve,” said Chou.
