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When Commercial Point resident Katie Mong went in for what she expected to be a routine prenatal visit, she had no idea how quickly everything would change and how important a partnership between Adena Health and Nationwide Children’s Hospital would become in her family’s life.
Katie’s first 36 weeks of pregnancy had been relatively complication-free. That all changed when several checks of the baby’s heart rate revealed a problem, and her Adena Health physician, Rebecca Pareja, MD, determined the baby needed to be delivered.
Though stunned, Katie felt reassured by the professional calm displayed by everyone from Dr. Pareja to the ultrasound tech to the staff in labor and delivery at Adena Regional Medical Center.
“Dr. Pareja was so calm and composed that it helped me relax,” Katie said. “And from the moment I walked into labor and delivery, the nurses made me feel like I had known them my whole life. They were incredibly kind and supportive.”
Dr. Pareja says that steady, compassionate approach is intentional.
“We want to make our patients feel comfortable, especially when facing something frightening,” Dr. Pareja said. “We look to put ourselves in their shoes and really listen, trying to fully understand what they’re going through.”
After Katie’s daughter, Hallie, was born, Nationwide Children’s pediatric hospitalist Daniel Roper, MD, discovered fluid in the baby’s lungs. Hallie was taken to the special care nursery and placed on advanced respiratory support, where she remained for a week, receiving care from Adena’s specialized nursing staff working in collaboration with Nationwide Children’s pediatricians.
Adena’s partnership with Nationwide Children’s Hospital offers pediatric specialists at Adena Regional Medical Center around the clock to care for children with a wide range of medical needs. The two organizations have worked together caring for children since 2011, with expanded newborn and pediatric inpatient services launching in 2021.
The partnership provides additional expertise and support from Nationwide Children’s Hospital while keeping children and families close to home for their care.
“We recognize the amount of trust involved when parents put their child’s health and well-being in our hands,” said Dr. Roper. “Working alongside the staff at Adena, we are proud to provide quality care that helps children grow strong, stay active, and live a healthier life.”
Hallie is one of many success stories to come out of that partnership. Katie and her husband, Adam, are grateful to the team that successfully helped bring their daughter through a frightening start to life.
“Adena is a hidden gem in Ross County,” Katie said. “You’re not going find better care anywhere else.