When a child is sick or injured, the most important thing for any parent is getting expert care quickly. It’s the best of all possible situations when that care exists close to home. That’s why Children’s Hospital of Michigan – Troy is such an important resource for families who live in and close to Oakland County, says Kathy Donovan, MSN, NE-BC Chief Executive Officer with Children’s Hospital of Michigan.
“We honestly believe that kids should receive care within their own communities, close to home, and that’s why Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Troy was built and opened,” Donovan says. “It’s a full-service medical facility where families can get nationally recognized pediatric care close to home.”
Ranked by US News & World Report’s 2020-21 Best Children’s Hospital in six different pediatric subspecialty areas, Children’s Hospital of Michigan – Troy is wholly focused on providing expert care just for children through its full-service emergency department, freestanding surgical center, comprehensive imaging and lab services, pediatric sleep lab and subspecialty clinics.
Read on for more reasons why you should get to know Children’s Hospital of Michigan – Troy.
In an emergency, a pediatric emergency room matters
Children have distinct medical needs that require specialty care from skilled pediatric physicians, so it makes sense to turn to the experts in times of need, even if it means traveling a few more miles down the road. “Kids are not little adults. They absolutely have different bones and brains and should be cared for by physicians who deal with children and can see the uniqueness and nuances,” Donovan says. “A broken bone, for example, can occur in a growth plate in a child, so it’s not the same scenario as it is with an adult and requires a specialist to care for that child’s bone.”
For everything from fevers to bruises to broken bones that come in by ambulance, the emergency room at Children’s Hospital of Michigan – Troy is equipped to serve every incident through its doors with the same high level of pediatric medical expertise as Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit. “As a freestanding pediatric emergency department, our Troy location is staffed 24/7 with pediatric fellowship trained physicians and all the lifesaving medical equipment and skills to make sure kids are cared for appropriately,” Donovan says.
The concept of “right place first time” is crucially important in pediatric medical care, and treating a child in the correct environment from the outset can mean that they won’t need to be transferred for pediatric specialty care later on. “Right place first time ensures you have all you need to take care of your child, as a one-stop shop,” Donovan says. “It makes sense to take your child to the place where you can have access to all the resources and subspecialties at your fingertips.”
All pediatric subspecialties are represented
Children’s Hospital of Michigan – Troy is a pediatric surgery center where the same nationally renowned surgeons from the downtown Detroit location regularly do surgeries. If a child needs specialist care from an allergist, cardiologist, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist or any other pediatric subspecialist, parents can be assured that every specialty is represented by highly qualified pediatric-fellowship trained physicians — as well as clinical staff, nurses and ancillary staff and providers — who care solely for children.
The location in Troy also has full imaging and radiology facilities, lab services and a full-service sleep lab so children can have sleep studies done right on the Troy campus, Donovan says. “Outpatient surgeries are more efficient, and that’s how Troy runs. The whole building is designed to move families through with ease, all with the highest quality of care available from surgeons,” she says.
Because the subspecialists have their clinics right in the building, families return to the same convenient location for all follow-up care. “If a child has ear tubes inserted surgically here, the pediatric ear, nose and throat specialist has a clinic on site for follow-up,” Donovan says. “It’s very convenient and comforting for the child and the family.”
Built from the ground up to serve children
For children and their families, the smallest details can make all the difference, so parents can be assured that their kids will feel comfortable from the first moment at Children’s Hospital of Michigan – Troy. “Everything is focused on children here and the whole building is a kid-friendly space that was built with efficiency in mind. The whole environment is less scary for children and never feels like they are coming to a hospital,” Donovan explains.
In addition to thoughtful furniture choices, bright colors, artwork created by kids in the Troy community and specially tinted windows that create a warm, reassuring feeling of sunshine inside, parents will appreciate the lean-design principles at the foundation of the experience at Children’s Hospital of Michigan – Troy. This means ample parking, easy access to entrances and an emphasis on moving forward through the building, not sitting in waiting rooms.
“Our main consideration is that families today want convenience and we believe we should come to them to provide care,” Donovan says. “We’re conveniently located in the neighborhood with the expertise they deserve. From arrival to check-in, it’s always a convenient, quick, wonderful experience for families.”
Learn more about the dedicated pediatric surgery, emergency and specialists services at Children’s Hospital of Michigan – Troy at www.childrensdmc.org