UNIT TO GIVE HIGH-RISK BABY CARE

John Mackel, vice president of medical affairs at St. Francis Medical Center, told the Cape Girardeau Lions Club Wednesday that there will be many benefits to the new neonatal care facility opening at St. Francis in the fall.

The new Level 3 neonatal care facility will be able to take care of both prematurely born infants and infants born with illnesses. There will be specially trained physicians and technologists available to take care of the infants and provide emotional support for families.

Mackel said the facility will increase the obstetric standards of care at the hospital and be able to provide prolonged and complex care for infants.

"The problem isn't really when you expect a problem," he said. "The problem is when you think you won't have a problem, and then the little one comes out and you do have one."

Mackel said the facility will provide high risk pregnancy support, care for premature infants, care for sick babies, be able to provide high-level resuscitation and care for breathing problems, among other things.

"The main thing about this facility is that it will allow us to care for the infant locally, where family and friends can be near," Mackel said.

Mackel said that the center will be supportive and family-centered.

"Neonatal care doesn't happen in a vacuum," he said. "There has to be that parental support and education."

Mackel said that it was estimated that close to 2,300 neonatal babies were born in the area in the past year. He said that possibly 700 of those could have been cared for at St. Francis instead of transferred to another hospital if they had had the new facility.

"People go to St. Louis because they want to be somewhere that care is available," he said. "We hope to be able to provide that here."