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The University of Kansas Hospital First in the Country to Offer Neonatal Medical Home

KANSAS CITY, Kan.—The University of Kansas Hospital has become the first facility in the country to use the medical home approach for its smallest patients and their special needs. The Neonatal Medical Home is a new area of the hospital where children with medically complex problems from their premature birth or other causes can receive care from a variety of pediatric specialists in one location. Medical Home is a health care delivery model previously focused on primary care for children and adults, where one physician or office coordinates all care. In this unique program, the focus is on a group of patients needing specialty care, infants and toddlers with health problems.

“This home is a place where we use parents as partners in caring for the babies,” said Prabhu Parimi, M.D., medical director of the Neonatal Medical Home. “We incorporate their feedback and wishes in their child’s care plan, as opposed to other places where the physician directs the care. This dedicated space will provide robust care where all sub-specialists come to one place and provide the care in one setting instead of going to multiple clinic appointments.”

The proactive team-based approach to chronic care management includes health maintenance visits, coordination of complex services, co-management with specialists and assistance with transition, especially from the inpatient neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to the family’s home. Neonatologists and other health care team members also meet with parents and offer prenatal consultation addressing questions and concerns before delivery. Neonatal Medical Home services and advice are available to families 24 hours a day.

The Kansas City Royals baseball team is showing its support by announcing the Neonatal Medical Home will benefit from the club’s Royals Charities Diamond of Dreams event, Thursday, June 20, 2013, from 7:00 -10:30 p.m. on the field at Kauffman Stadium. Many local restaurants will serve their favorite food and drink on the field, while the country group Drew Six performs live in concert near second base starting at 8:30 p.m. For ticket information, click on: http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/kc/community/diamond_of_dreams.jsp.