Children’s Hosp. Colorado Springs: Pediatric Care & Info

The Colorado Springs Emergency Department was designed solely for infants, children and teens. Pediatric emergency clinicians use child-sized equipment, pediatric medication dosing and imaging strategies designed specifically for younger patients.

Common reasons to use the ER

• Severe asthma or difficulty breathing despite treatment.
• Head injury with vomiting or altered behavior.
• Major trauma.
• Severe abdominal pain.
• Seizure that does not stop.
• Deep wound with uncontrolled bleeding.
• Severe allergic reaction.
• Broken bone with obvious deformity or exposed bone.
• Fever in an infant under 8 weeks.
• Numbness, paralysis, weakness or sudden vision loss.
• Swallowed button battery.
• Mental-health crisis or suicide attempt.

What happens after arrival?

The trauma program brings together pediatric emergency specialists, surgeons, intensive-care clinicians, orthopedics, neurosurgery, imaging, rehabilitation and other pediatric specialists for seriously injured children.

Trauma conditions include

• Brain and head injuries.
• Complex fractures.
• Burns.
• Chest and abdominal injuries.
• Pelvic injuries.
• Animal or human bites.
• Vehicle-crash injuries.
• Falls and multi-system trauma.

Routine pediatric heart clinics and many cardiac tests are provided at Outpatient Care at Briargate. Services currently available in Colorado Springs include:

• Pediatric cardiology consultations.
• EKG.
• Echocardiography.
• Fetal echocardiography.
• Exercise testing.
• Holter monitoring.
• Event monitoring.
• Electrophysiology consultation.
• Cardiac MRI.
• Adult congenital-heart follow-up.

The hospital’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders provides local treatment for children, adolescents and young adults with cancer and nonmalignant blood disorders.

The Colorado Springs center includes

• Private infusion rooms.
• Infusion bays.
• Exam rooms.
• Pediatric oncology.
• Pediatric hematology.
• Chemotherapy and other infusion treatment when appropriate.
• Support from the broader Children’s Colorado cancer program.

Current Colorado Springs hematology/oncology providers include Karol Kerr, MD, with additional physicians and advanced-practice providers available through the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders.

Pediatric neurology clinics are available in Colorado Springs, while the hospital also provides EEG, EMG, epilepsy monitoring and pediatric neurosurgical care.

Neurological services can include

• Epilepsy and seizures.
• Headaches.
• Neuromuscular disorders.
• Neurodevelopmental conditions.
• EEG testing.
• EMG testing.
• Epilepsy monitoring.
• Brain and spinal neurosurgery.
• Trauma-related neurosurgical care.

Thomas Ridder, MD is among the current pediatric neurosurgeons listed at the Colorado Springs location.

Children’s Colorado performs procedures ranging from common childhood surgery to complex pediatric operations. Its Colorado Springs hospital contains operating rooms designed specifically for children.

Examples include

• Appendicitis surgery.
• Hernia repair.
• Abdominal surgery.
• Chest/thoracic surgery.
• Neonatal surgery.
• Trauma surgery.
• Cancer-related surgery.
• Minimally invasive surgery.
• Orthopedic procedures.
• ENT procedures.
• Urologic procedures.

Where to go on surgery day

The Colorado Springs PICU has a multidisciplinary team of more than 50 pediatric intensive-care experts available around the clock.

PICU conditions can include

• Sepsis and severe infection.
• Pneumonia and respiratory failure.
• Severe asthma.
• Major trauma.
• Head, chest and abdominal injuries.
• Single- or multi-organ failure.
• Postoperative critical care.
• Neurological emergencies.
• Diabetic ketoacidosis.
• Complex oncology patients.

Advanced PICU therapies across the Children’s Colorado critical-care program can include ECMO, continuous renal replacement therapy, high-frequency ventilation and inhaled nitric oxide when clinically appropriate.

The Level III NICU cares for premature and critically ill newborns and has access to pediatric surgery, respiratory support, nutrition, pharmacy and imaging services.

A Level III NICU can care for

• Babies born before 32 weeks.
• Babies below approximately 1,500 grams at birth.
• Newborns requiring prolonged life support.
• Infants with medical or surgical conditions.
• Babies requiring advanced respiratory support.

Human Milk and Formula Lab

The Human Milk and Formula Lab is located in the NICU on the third floor. It is open daily from 8:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m., with a temporary closure from 3:00–6:00 p.m. during milk/formula preparation and delivery.

Imaging available includes

• MRI.
• Ultrasound.
• X-ray.
• Pediatric diagnostic imaging.

Outpatient X-ray hours at the hospital

A referral is required for outpatient X-ray. Other radiology studies should be scheduled before arrival.

Sleep and neurological testing

The hospital has three pediatric sleep-study rooms plus dedicated space for epilepsy monitoring, EEG and EMG testing.

Driving from I-25

Current Children’s Colorado inpatient rules

• A hospitalized patient may have up to 10 people on the approved visitor list.
• Up to four approved visitors may generally be on the unit at one time.
• Parents/legal guardians and the patient’s spouse/partner may visit 24/7.
• Other visitors generally visit from 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
• Only two visitors are allowed on site overnight.
• Siblings can be placed on the approved visitor list.
• Unit leaders can reduce visitor numbers due to space or clinical needs.
• Isolation precautions can add restrictions.

Emergency Department

Two adult caregivers may generally be present with the child in an Emergency Department clinical-care space. If siblings are present, staff may ask one adult to remain with them in a public area.

Surgery and procedures

Two adults are generally permitted with the child in pre-op, post-op and recovery areas. Siblings under 18 are not allowed in those clinical procedure areas.

Play and sibling areas

• Play areas on several hospital floors.
• Creative Play Center near the first-floor entrance.
• Outdoor playground for patients and families.
• Volunteer-supported play areas on inpatient floors.

The Creative Play Center is currently open Monday–Friday 9am–12pm and 1pm–4pm. It is a supervised play area, not a formal childcare service.

Before discharge, ask the care team where prescriptions should be filled and whether a specialty medication requires coordination through Children’s Colorado Pharmacy Services or an outside retail pharmacy.

Before leaving the hospital, confirm

• Medication name and dose.
• Which pharmacy received the prescription.
• When the first home dose is due.
• Whether refrigeration or special storage is required.
• Whether prior authorization is pending.
• Who to call if the pharmacy cannot obtain the medication.

Children’s Hospital Colorado participates with many major commercial, Medicaid and other insurance plans, but exact product participation can vary by year and location.

Ask your insurer these questions

• Is Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs in network?
• Is the specific doctor in network?
• Does the plan require a PCP referral?
• Does the planned procedure or imaging require prior authorization?
• Is the hospital visit subject to a facility fee?
• What deductible and coinsurance remain?

There is no universal all-in ER price or pediatric-specialist consultation fee. The total depends on the level of service, tests, imaging, medicines, procedures, physician care and whether the child is admitted.

Current published average self-pay ER facility charges

Behavioral-health ER facility examples

For a scheduled-care estimate

Ways to pay

• Children’s Colorado MyChart.
• MyChart Guest Pay.
• By phone.
• By mailed check or money order.

Patient Financial Services can also set up monthly payment arrangements after the bill is generated.

Children’s Colorado states that families can request screening for financial assistance regardless of insurance status.

Financial counselors can help with

• Health First Colorado / Medicaid.
• Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+).
• Hospital Discounted Care.
• Charity-care screening.
• Payment plans.
• Questions for uninsured families.

Private inpatient rooms

Every inpatient room is private and can accommodate the child and two parents overnight. Rooms include electronic whiteboards with care-team and patient updates.

Free hospital Wi-Fi

Families can connect to the CHCO Family Network throughout the hospital.