Advocate Good Samaritan hosts open house for new, state-of-the-art NICU
Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital's top-quality care is getting even better with the opening of a new, state-of-the-art $9 million Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) this month.
On June 7, Advocate team members, the community and donors were invited to tour the unit ahead of its grand opening this week.
The new space, which will be dedicated to treating the hospital's most at-risk newborns, is nearly six times larger than the previous unit, features private rooms with new technological upgrades and increases capacity to treat up to 24 children.
The unit also includes overnight accommodations in each room, a family lounge, kitchenette, lactation room and other amenities to provide the optimal care and comfort for both patients and families.
"This means keeping families together 24/7," said neonatologist Dr. Vibhaben Thaker, director of the NICU at Good Samaritan. "If a mom wakes up at 3 a.m. and wants to hold her baby, it will be right there. When everyone is together, they can forge bonds and promote healing."
Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital President Dave Fox called the new space a large upgrade for a staff that already provided compassionate, quality care in its current environment.
"We're very thankful for the support of the hospital and our community for making this new unit possible," he said.