New All Children's Hospital caters to families' needs

Monday, November 16, 2009

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The new rooms will be more comfortable for patients and their families.

PINELLAS COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- Next month the wraps will be taken off the new All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg.

The state of the art facility will take hospital care to a new level. While patient care will still be top priority, there's a new focus to make it a little easier on parents.

The new hospital is slated to open Dec. 12. The finishing touches are still being made to the $403 million facility.

"The space is just wonderful," said Dr. Joe Perno. "There is just so much room for us to do our work, areas for the doctors and nurses to talk about patients in private, areas for the families, luxuries for the families just to make their whole experience better."

Eight-month-old Aaron Craig has spent most of his life in and out of All Children's Hospital.

"His main diagnosis is his seizure disorder. He has some airway issues," said Aaron's mother, Amy. "He's on a ventilator."

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Web exclusive video on the new hospital

Spending every moment with Aaron is a challenge for the family. They take turns sleeping in the chair in his room.

But that's about to change.

With more than double the space, the new facility has a bigger emergency center, more NICU beds, three more operating rooms, more individual patient beds and couches for parents to rest in each room.

Aaron's new room will be bigger. There will be a nurses' station right outside his door, and it's equipped with technology catering to children.

And that's not all. A hospital within a hospital, Bayfront Baby Place houses state-of-the-art birthing suites. This means sick infants don't have to go far for treatment, and their families can be there every step of the way.

"I'm really excited because it looks like it's going to be so much more comfortable," Amy Craig said.

For those who want to see the new facility, they can tour it on Saturday from noon to 5.

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