Enhancing pediatric care

Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health opened its new 17-bed Seraph-McSparren Pediatric Inpatient Center at Lancaster General Hospital in September 2019.

The new Center is a beautifully designed, child-friendly space, with family-centered comforts and amenities, state-of-the-art technology, and unique services that significantly enhance the patient experience and make a hospital stay less stressful and disruptive to children and parents. The Center includes interactive environmental elements throughout the space that incorporate STEM themes in play walls and in-room activity.

The 20,000-square-foot center occupies the entire fourth floor of the LGH Frederick Building, enabling 300 additional families a year to remain close to home for high-quality pediatric care.

The new Center includes large private rooms, family support, including sleeping accommodations, meditation and personal computer work space, a kitchenette, shower and laundry facilities.

A new partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central PA brings The Ronald McDonald Hospitality Kiosk, a welcoming environment, offering nourishing snacks, drinks, health and beauty aids, small activities and a place of respite for families.

LG Health’s pediatric partnership with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) enhances expertise and ensures a high level of care, with the ability to coordinate with doctors throughout LG Health and CHOP. The Center is staffed by CHOP hospitalists—physicians who care for patients exclusively in a hospital setting—and a team of pediatric-certified nurses who have received additional specialized training in pediatric nursing care.

The Seraph-McSparren Pediatric Inpatient Center represents a significant investment in the community and by the community, which contributed more than $9.6 million toward the unit and its services.

Thanks to the care they received at Lancaster General Health and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the Anderson Family has three healthy children today. Their son faced a hard-to-diagnose milk allergy, and their twins, twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome.
 

Child Life Specialists support LG Health’s youngest patients

Lancaster General Hospital now offers Child Life, a program that helps children cope with the stress and uncertainty of illness and hospitalization. Pediatric inpatients at LGH have a dedicated Child Life specialist who meets daily with patients and families, and supports children during procedures and imaging.

The Child Life program is part of LG Health’s broader commitment to advancing pediatric care, and one of the many enhanced features of the new Pediatric Inpatient Center. When a child becomes ill or injured, normal activities such as play and family relationships are disrupted, often resulting in increased fear and stress. Child Life provides many opportunities to engage children in normal day-to-day activities, support their development and improve their ability to cope with the hospital experience.

The Child Life program at LGH is supported by philanthropic donations through the Lancaster General Health Foundation, and is not a billable medical service.