CHOP at ChristianaCare, Christiana Hospital

Pediatric services at ChristianaCare’s Christiana Hospital, Newark

Board-certified pediatricians, pediatric hospitalists, pediatric emergency medicine specialists, pediatric specialists, neonatologists and advanced practice providers from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) work alongside staff at Christiana Hospital in Newark, DE, to provide exceptional care to infants, children and teens living in Delaware, Maryland, southeast Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. 

Care is provided as part of a new pediatric alliance between CHOP and ChristianaCare; drawing the best from both groups of clinicians – world-class pediatric experts from CHOP and dedicated, local staff who have built long-term relationships with families. 

CHOP pediatric services available at Christiana Hospital include: 

• Pediatric inpatient care and monitoring by experienced CHOP pediatric hospitalists 
• 24/7 pediatric emergency services with dedicated CHOP pediatric emergency medicine specialists
• Inpatient care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and well-baby nursery 
• Pediatric specialty consultation, testing and imaging 

The collaboration between CHOP and Christiana Hospital brings the best of academic medicine – cutting-edge research, standardized clinical pathways that ensure consistency of care, and innovative quality improvement projects – close to home for families in Delaware and nearby areas. Together, we elevate the care your child has access to, leading to improved outcomes and a better quality of life for your family. 

Inpatient pediatric care 

CHOP provides a team of pediatric hospitalists on-site 24/7 to care for infants, children and adolescents who are admitted to the pediatric inpatient unit at Christiana Hospital. Pediatric hospitalists – all of whom are board certified in pediatrics by the American Board of Pediatrics and certified in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) – are attending physicians who specialize in the care of hospitalized infants, children and teens. 

Children may require hospitalization for a wide range of illness and injuries, respiratory and digestive issues to bone, joint or nerve injuries. Together, our teams are equipped to provide the best possible care for your child, close to home. In the event your child has a more serious issue that requires highly specialized care, transport to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia can be arranged in collaboration with community physicians. 

A pediatric hospitalist is always on-site, providing: 

• Around-the-clock evaluation and treatment for your child, and the ability to respond quickly to any emergencies that arise 
• Close coordination with pediatric specialists and your child’s primary care physician 
• Easy access to parents and families to answer questions and discuss your child’s illness with you 
• Emergency services and consultation in the emergency room as requested, 24/7 

Depending on your child’s length of stay in the hospital, more than one member of the CHOP team may be involved in their care. Physicians will coordinate with each other on daily rounds, share information with you, and provide a consistent approach to your child’s care and treatment. Once your child is well enough to leave the hospital, this team will communicate with your child’s pediatrician, specialist or family physician to ensure ongoing care. 

Emergency care for kids

CHOP and Christiana Hospital staff understand that emergency treatment and admission to the hospital can be frightening for children and parents. When your child needs to go to the Emergency Department (ED), you want to know they’ll receive outstanding, timely care delivered by a skilled clinical team. CHOP emergency medicine specialists are available 24/7 in the Christiana Hospital Pediatric Care Center to provide consultation, and are the primary attending physicians in the ED for pediatric patients each day when children most often visit the ED. 

No matter what emergency care your child needs, our team will work together to ensure the best care for your child and support for your family. 

We encourage parents to communicate openly with staff, be involved in your child’s care, and tell us how we can best meet your physical and emotional needs. 

Newborn and NICU care

Board-certified neonatologists and neonatal advanced practice providers from CHOP provide high-quality, specialized care to babies in the neonatal intensive care unit and well-baby nursery at Christiana Hospital. Our team works with families and primary care physicians to ensure every newborn receives the care they need, backed by the resources of CHOP – a world leader in neonatal medicine – and the experience, comfort and convenience provided at a community hospital. 

Some of the babies born here each year are born prematurely, have a difficult delivery, or have birth defects that require additional treatment or careful observation after birth. 

For these most vulnerable patients, CHOP clinicians also provide 24/7 care and services to babies in the Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), including: 

• Comprehensive respiratory and feeding support, including mechanical ventilation, oxygen therapy and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) 
• Specialty and multidisciplinary evaluations 
• Advanced testing and imaging 
• Referrals to specialists and developmental experts for follow up for growth and neurodevelopmental issues, as needed 

Pediatric specialty consultations

Select pediatric specialty services from CHOP will also be available at Christiana Hospital in the months ahead, as part of our collaboration. This includes access to a wide range of newborn and pediatric services, including surgery, cardiology, neurology, radiology, ophthalmology and genetics, as well as educational and research opportunities.

As the collaboration between ChristianaCare and CHOP grows, it will explore other opportunities to expand pediatric care and improve healthcare delivery in the region.

Additional CHOP pediatric specialists are available nearby in Pennsylvania at CHOP Specialty Care and Ambulatory Surgery Centers in Brandywine, Exton and Bryn Mawr, and at CHOP Primary Care locations in West Grove, Kennett Square, Chadds Ford, West Chester and Media.