Woodland Heights Medical Center’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) has been designated as a Level 3 Neonatal Facility by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
The designation requires 24-hour, in-house coverage specialized personnel, including board-certified neonatologists available at all times.
A Level III NICU designation is the second-to-highest level of neonatal care and is a reflection of Woodland Heights’ ability to care for and treat critically ill newborns.
“Caring for our tiniest patients is a group effort and this designation is once again evidence of our commitment to providing quality care,” states Drew Emery, CEO. “This means our hospital provides Angelina County and the entire deep East Texas area with expert care for newborns who need highly specialized treatment.”
State law requires all NICUs to apply for neonatal level of care designations and undergo a rigorous evaluation and verification to ensure NICUs meet stringent clinical care guidelines set by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Woodland Heights Medical Center established the first NICU in deep East Texas in 2013 and currently has a 15-bed unit, which serves the most critically ill and premature infants who require specialized care. The unit is equipped with intensive care nursery technology and is staffed by a compassionate team of medical professions which includes a 24-hour on call Neonatologist and 24-hour in-house Neonatal Nurse Practitioner. All local Obstetricians have privileges at the hospital, which gives families the choice of where their baby is born or admitted to the NICU.
“We are proud to offer such a high level of care for these patients so their family and support system can stay close to home while they are here getting stronger,” states Carla Turner, RN-MSN, WHMC director of Women’s Services & NICU. “Parents can trust that their babies are getting the best care in an atmosphere that promotes family-centered care.”
Woodland Heights is the ONLY Level III NICU in the deep East Texas area. For more information or to take a virtual tour of the Women’s Center at Woodland Heights, visit the Maternity Care Services page at WoodlandHeights.net.
Picture: Pictured along with Chief of Pediatrics Jeff Glass, M.D. and Chief of Neonatology Linda Chase, M.D. are members of the NICU team as well as hospital leadership.
About Woodland Heights Medical Center
Established in 1919, Woodland Heights Medical Center was Lufkin’s first hospital. Now, more than a century later, Woodland Heights is recognized throughout Deep East Texas as the leading provider of high quality, innovative health care services. Accommodating a wide range of clinical specialties, Woodland Heights has achieved excellence in key medical and surgical areas including cardiology, pulmonology, neurology, orthopedic surgery, physical medicine/rehabilitation, vascular surgery and obstetrics and gynecology. Woodland Heights also offers a full range of outpatient diagnostic services including advanced imaging, laboratory, outpatient surgery and emergency services. Through its Rehabilitation Center, Woodland Heights offers cardiac rehabilitation, stroke recovery and physical, occupational, speech and pelvic floor rehabilitation. The facility also houses the first Level 2 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in the deep East Texas area. Woodland Heights is directly or indirectly owned by a partnership that proudly includes physician owners, including certain members of the hospital’s medical staff. Woodland Heights offers a free e-newsletter with a monthly dose of health and wellness inspiration sent directly to your inbox from a trusted medical source. Sign up at WoodlandHeights.net/enewsletter-sign-up. Combining modern facilities, leading technology, an exceptional staff and a commitment to the communities it serves, Woodland Heights Medical Center remains at the forefront of quality health care in Deep East Texas.
