New Brunswick, NJ –The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital (BMSCH) at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), part of the RWJBarnabas Health Children’s Health Network, opened its new Children's Same Day Services center, a modern outpatient facility designed to provide comfortable and private care for young patients who need regular, non-oncologic infusion therapies and light sedation procedures. BMSCH also has plans to conduct sleep studies in this space in the future.
The center was made possible through the generous support of the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation and RWJ University Hospital Foundation donors. It features five private treatment rooms, including a dedicated sensory room, designed to create a calming and supportive environment for children undergoing treatments that do not require an overnight stay.
“In some cases, these advanced treatments have become first-line therapies for children with acute chronic conditions like Crohn’s Disease, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and Sickle Cell disease. These require regimens delivered by a multi-disciplinary team that is focused on the child in terms of both comfort and safety,” says Vikas Dharnidharka, MD, MPH, Physician-in-Chief at BMSCH and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. “The Children’s Same Day Services center will be staffed and supported by specialists who are highly trained in biologic and drug therapies delivered through infusion, alongside child life specialists who help decrease discomfort and stress using tools and distraction and coping techniques.”
The dedicated Children’s Same Day Services Center was designed after the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation made a $2.5 million gift. The foundation’s gifts to BMSCH total more than $20 million since its foundational donation 24 years ago, which renamed the nationally-ranked children’s hospital. BMSCH held a ribbon-cutting event at the center for staff and supporters.
“The Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation has been an outstanding partner over the years, and their significant contributions to our children’s hospital are a testament to their commitment to children and their belief in BMSCH’s ability to deliver the highest levels of care and improve the health of our communities,” said Kelly Chaknis, Chief Administrative Officer, The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital. “We are proud of our partnership and grateful for their ongoing support, which today fills a huge need for families with children who suffer from many chronic conditions.”
The outpatient infusion center addresses the growing need for specialized pediatric outpatient services in the community. It will serve children with an increasingly wide range of both acute and chronic pediatric conditions. These include gastrointestinal disorders such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, rheumatologic conditions such as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, neurologic problems such as multiple sclerosis, antirejection therapy for kidney transplants and genetic, endocrine and blood disorders. The private rooms offer families a space for individualized care, while the sensory room provides a soothing and engaging environment to minimize anxiety and promote relaxation during treatment for children with spectrum disorders.
"The Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation is proud to celebrate the opening of the Children's Same Day Services center at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital today, a continuation of our quarter century of support for the hospital’s life-saving work,” said Catharine Grimes, President, Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation. “This new center will ensure the hospital continues to provide the high-quality, personalized, and family-centered medical care New Jersey’s children deserve, with the comfort and convenience of an outpatient setting. Together, we will give more parents the chance to hug their children tomorrow, thanks to the vital work done here today."
The BMSCH Same Day Services center will open once New Jersey regulatory review is complete and approvals are achieved. More information about the Children's Same Day Services center or to schedule an appointment.
About RWJBarnabas Health Children’s Health Network
In partnership with Rutgers Health, the RWJBH Children’s Health Network provides advanced research, teaching, social impact initiatives and outstanding care to improve the health and well-being of every child in every community. The nationally-ranked Children’s Health Network includes four comprehensive acute care Children’s Hospitals/Centers, Children’s Specialized Hospital, a pediatric rehabilitation and long-term care hospital, nearly 900 primary and specialty care providers, and the full array of tertiary and quaternary physical and mental health services for children.