Give us a little background on CHNOLA. Children’s Hospital was originally founded in 1955 as a 53-bed rehabilitation facility for children during the polio epidemic. For more than 60 years, Children’s Hospital New Orleans has delivered expert pediatric healthcare for children across our state and region. As Louisiana’s first and largest free-standing children’s hospital, we provide unmatched pediatric expertise, caring for children from all 64 parishes across Louisiana and beyond.
Today, Children’s Hospital New Orleans is a 222-bed, not-for-profit pediatric medical center offering a complete range of healthcare services for children from birth to 21 years old. We have over 40 pediatric specialties and more than 400 physicians. This commitment to grow strong programs is driven by our mission to be provide a continuous improvement of patient care, education, research, child advocacy and management.
Are there any exciting projects in the works? The Children’s Hospital Board of Trustees and LCMC Health are making a significant investment in the future of pediatric healthcare, with an unprecedented $300 million campus transformation. The expansion of our campus, completed by the end of 2021, is improving infrastructure and technology, and will also make it easier for patients and families across the region to access our vital services. Our transformed campus includes 235,000 square feet of new clinical care space, enabling the expansion of our signature service lines – heart care, cancer care, surgical services, emergency and trauma care, neonatal and pediatric intensive care, and behavioral health – in an environment specially designed for children. Along with our robust virtual care platform which allows our providers to care for patients across the state, in 2020 we opened new, expanded multi-specialty clinics in Covington, Baton Rouge, Alexandria and Metairie. We are committed to expanding access while delivering a high standard of care for children across the state.
What are some services or programs you’d like to highlight? In the fall of 2020, Children’s Hospital announced the launch of ThriveKids, The Student Wellness Project. ThriveKids is a comprehensive community-based program that provides school-based virtual care, mental and behavioral health services, sports medicine, chronic condition management and COVID-19 support.
How can people best support CHNOLA? The generous contributions of donors enable Children’s Hospital to provide critical care for the sickest children and babies, conduct life-saving research projects, serve families who otherwise could not afford quality healthcare and remain at the forefront of pediatric healthcare advancements.
Is there anything else you’d like us to know about CHNOLA? Children’s Hospital is proud to be the only pediatric facility in the state of Louisiana to incorporate two academic pediatric medical programs under one roof. Through partnerships with LSU Health New Orleans and Tulane University School of Medicine, the vibrant academic medical community at Children’s Hospital provides unparalleled opportunities for educational enhancement, innovation and improved access to high quality pediatric healthcare. Children’s Hospital is proud to contribute to the next generation of healthcare providers with multiple training programs for physicians, nurses, technologists and scientists. In fact, more than 75 percent of the pediatricians in the state of Louisiana trained at Children’s Hospital New Orleans.
Children’s Hospital New Orleans, 200 Henry Clay Ave., 504-899-9511, CHNOLA.org
