When your child is hospitalized, you want to know that he or she is in good hands. At Bon Secours St. Mary's Hospital, we're here for you. Our Pediatric Hospitalist Program offers round-the-clock care, seven days a week, with a pediatrician always in the hospital who has advanced training to care for hospitalized children. That's something you won't find at most other hospitals. In fact, we have Central Virginia's first and only Pediatric Hospitalist Program.

Our Pediatric Hospitalists are highly trained and fully credentialed physicians with expertise in common acute childhood illnesses requiring hospitalization. We work at the request of your child's primary care physician and act as an extension of their care during your child's stay at St. Mary's. We see all hospitalized patients not admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) or pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Round-the-Clock Access, 24-Hour Care

We're with you and your child every step of the way, starting with his or her hospitalization. Once your child is admitted, we discuss his or her medical history, current condition, and treatment plan with the primary care physician. And we continue to consult with the physician as tests, evaluations, or medications are ordered, throughout your child's stay. Our 24/7 care of your child lets us frequently assess his or her condition. This means that we can often recognize problems—and offer treatment—more quickly than might otherwise occur.

Our dedication doesn't stop there. We work with other St. Mary's staff members to plan for your child's needs after discharge, such as home health care. Plus, we'll review discharge instructions with you, so that you can be sure you understand the treatments and medication you'll be responsible for providing at home. When it's time to go home, your child's primary care physician will receive a detailed report of treatment provided and recommendations for follow-up care.

And we're not only here for your child, we're here for you. We understand that this can be a stressful and confusing time and that you're bound to have concerns. That's why we're available to answer your questions, any time, day or night. From hospital admission to the day you take your child home, the goal of our Pediatric Hospitalists is to reassure you—and to help your child get better.

For a list of Bon Secours pediatric subspecialists click here.