Novant Health has big plans for building out pediatric care

Bakersville resident Stephanie Pitman drives two-and-a-half hours to Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital in Charlotte to access specialized care for her son. Nine-year-old Gabe — an avid music lover and horseback rider — has cerebral palsy and short gut syndrome, among other issues. He has sustained about 15 surgeries and now visits the hospital at least once a year.

“Gabe has some pretty specific medical issues. Having doctors and surgeons and specialists that are familiar with those specific needs, we just couldn’t find that close to home,” Pitman said.

Charlotte and surrounding areas need more space and providers for specialized pediatric care, said Dr. L. Eugene Daugherty, medical director at Novant’s Hemby Children’s Hospital and the pediatric intensive care unit.

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Daugherty said a fast-growing population is driving a need for expanded pediatric care and dedicated facilities across the Charlotte region. Patients and their families also need more care options, he said.

The city’s largest pediatric centers are Hemby, a 76-bed hospital in Presbyterian Medical Center that has served 95 counties in the Carolinas, and Atrium Health’s Levine Children’s Hospital, a national top 50, 236-bed hospital at the Carolinas Medical Center campus.

“If you were to just take either Atrium and its pediatrics support or Novant and its support and just eliminate one of them, this city could not take care of pediatric patients adequately,” Daugherty said.

In response, Novant has been bulking up specialty pediatric care here, investing approximately $38 million each year. It continues to grow 16 subspecialties — planning for expansion in the Hemby neonatal intensive care unit, capitalizing on partnerships to advance cancer care and adding to capabilities in neurology. Novant is also investing in its clinical network to support specialty care.

Charlotte has now become Novant’s hub for pediatric services, well surpassing the headquarters market in Winston-Salem in terms of investment and specialties. The health system has no plans to slow down.

Read the full story here for an inside look at the health system’s focus points.