Monroe Children’s Hospital: Pediatric Care & Info

Problems treated in the Children’s ER

• Serious injury or trauma.
• Breathing difficulty.
• Severe allergic reactions.
• Seizures.
• High-acuity infections.
• Severe dehydration.
• Abdominal emergencies.
• Broken bones and significant wounds.
• Neurologic emergencies.
• Poisoning or toxin exposure.
• Complications involving medically complex children.

Why the Level I trauma designation matters

Pediatric trauma teams can rapidly bring together emergency physicians, pediatric surgeons, intensivists, nurses, respiratory therapists, operating rooms and advanced imaging such as CT and MRI when a severely injured child arrives.

Emergency Department doctors currently listed by Vanderbilt

Emergency charges may include:

• Emergency-department evaluation.
• Physician services.
• Laboratory tests.
• X-ray, ultrasound, CT or MRI.
• Medication and IV treatment.
• Procedures.
• Specialist consultation.
• Observation.
• PICU/NICU or inpatient admission if needed.
• Emergency surgery.

How to get a useful estimate for planned care

Pediatric Heart Institute

Pediatric Neurology

Pediatric Gastroenterology

General & Thoracic Surgery

Pediatric Orthopaedics

Pediatric Hematology & Cancer

Vanderbilt also provides endocrinology/diabetes, urology, nephrology, pulmonology, infectious disease, allergy/immunology, ENT, ophthalmology, rehabilitation, behavioral health, fetal care and many additional pediatric subspecialties.

Heart services include

• General pediatric cardiology.
• Fetal cardiology.
• Congenital heart disease.
• Cardiac imaging.
• Cardiac catheterization.
• Electrophysiology and arrhythmia treatment.
• 3D arrhythmia mapping and ablation.
• Cardiac MRI and CT.
• Heart surgery.
• Mechanical circulatory support.
• Heart transplant care.
• Cardiomyopathy treatment.

The cardiology clinic states that many children with suspected or known cardiac conditions can typically be offered an appointment within approximately one to two days, depending on the clinical situation and available specialist.

Pediatric Neurology is on the 9th floor at 2200 Children’s Way. Phone: 615-936-5536. Published clinic hours are Monday-Friday 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m..

Conditions and services

• Epilepsy and new-onset seizures.
• Cerebral palsy.
• Developmental regression.
• Movement disorders.
• Migraine and headache.
• Low muscle tone.
• Neuromuscular disorders.
• Neurovascular disorders.
• Multiple sclerosis.
• Leukodystrophy.

Testing can include

• EEG.
• EMG.
• MRI.
• Lumbar puncture.
• Advanced epilepsy evaluation.

The main GI clinic is in the Doctors’ Office Tower, 10th floor. Phone: 615-322-7449. Hours: Monday-Friday 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m..

GI programs include

• Inflammatory bowel disease.
• Esophageal disease.
• Functional GI disorders.
• Constipation and bowel-management care.
• Eosinophilic GI disorders.
• Liver disease.
• Nutrition and intestinal rehabilitation.
• Pancreatic disorders.
• Dysphagia.
• Routine and emergency pediatric endoscopy.

Childhood cancers treated include

• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
• Acute myeloid leukemia.
• Lymphoma.
• Brain tumors.
• Neuroblastoma.
• Ewing sarcoma.
• Germ-cell tumors.
• Other solid tumors.

Blood-disorder programs include

• Sickle cell disease.
• Hemophilia.
• Clotting disorders.
• Blood-cell disorders.
• Bone-marrow failure.
• Transfusion medicine.

General and Thoracic Surgery is on the 7th floor. Phone 615-936-1050. Clinic hours are Monday-Friday 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m..

Vanderbilt states that Monroe Carell surgical teams perform more than 17,000 pediatric surgeries each year, ranging from routine procedures to organ transplants and highly complex operations.

Family-focused surgery features

• Child Life support.
• Dedicated South Garage parking.
• Free valet service.
• Covered second-floor walkway into the hospital.
• On-site X-ray.
• Ultrasound.
• MRI, including sedated and selected non-sedated studies.
• Family waiting areas.
• Free Wi-Fi and charging areas.

Day-of-surgery visitors

Current visitor policy permits up to four parents/caregivers age 16 or older in the surgery waiting room. Two parents/caregivers may be in the holding room before surgery and recovery room after surgery.

Vanderbilt Children’s Orthopaedics is at 2200 Children’s Way, Suite 4202. Phone: 615-343-5875.

Conditions treated include

• Broken bones and complex fractures.
• Sports injuries.
• Scoliosis and spinal deformity.
• Hip disorders.
• Limb differences.
• Hand and upper-extremity problems.
• Cerebral-palsy-related orthopedic conditions.
• Musculoskeletal infection.

The outpatient orthopedic clinic can provide imaging, casting and referrals to physical or occupational therapy. Vanderbilt also uses low-radiation orthopedic imaging for selected pediatric patients.

Critical-care teams include pediatric intensivists, nurses, respiratory therapists and specialty consultants. Advanced services include ECMO and neurocritical-care support for selected patients.

Some current critical-care physicians

• Barbara-Jo Achuff, MD — Pediatric Critical Care.
• Kristina A. Betters, MD — Pediatric Critical Care.
• Janelle M. Buysse, DO — Pediatric Critical Care.
• Andrew H. Smith, MD, MSCI, MMHC — Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care.
• Jessica M. Turnbull, MD, MA — Pediatric Critical Care.
• Jennifer C. Laws, MD — Pediatric Critical Care / Neurocritical Care.

South Garage entrance

Enter from Children’s Way between 23rd Avenue and 24th Avenue.

Long-term parking

Families expecting an extended hospital stay should call the parking office at 615-936-1215 for current long-term parking options.

RV parking

Vanderbilt offers authorized RV parking in Lot 75 near Blakemore Avenue and Natchez Trace. Prior authorization is required. Call 615-936-1215, option 3.

Parents and guardians

Parents and guardians are considered part of the child’s care team rather than ordinary visitors. Vanderbilt encourages them to stay with their child 24 hours a day.

Inpatient visitor limits

• Two parent-approved visitors age 18 or older may stay with an admitted child 24/7.
• Up to four people may be in the patient’s room during routine visiting hours.
• The four people do not have to be the same people every day.
• Overnight visitors should arrive before 8 p.m.
• Visitors with fever, rash, vomiting, diarrhea, cold symptoms or contagious exposure should not visit patient floors.
• Only non-latex balloons are permitted.
• The Vanderbilt medical campus is smoke-free.

Children age 5 and younger

Young child visitors to selected higher-risk units, including the NICU and certain transplant or inpatient areas, may need a health screening each day before visiting.

Emergency Department visitors

Current Monroe Carell policy permits four visitors age 16 or older with a child in the Emergency Department. Each visitor receives identification.

Family Resource Center services

• Pediatric health library.
• Information packets on medical conditions.
• Computers.
• Printing and copying.
• Faxing.
• Phone chargers.
• Community-resource information.
• Help enrolling in My Health at Vanderbilt.

Playrooms

Playrooms are available on inpatient floors, with age-specific spaces for young children, school-age children and teenagers. The second floor also includes a sibling play area.

Ronald McDonald House Family Room

The Family Room is on the fifth floor behind the greeter’s desk. Snacks and drinks are available. The hospital currently lists hours of 9 a.m.–9 p.m. daily when volunteers are available.

Lost & found

Call 615-343-5371.

Children’s Way Café — second floor

Friends Shop

The Children’s Hospital gift shop is on the second floor. Phone: 615-936-6185.

Current family-services information lists:

• Monday-Friday 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Saturday noon–2 p.m.

Vanderbilt Children’s Outpatient Pharmacy

On weekends and certain holidays, the pharmacy lists meal closures from 1–1:30 p.m. and 6:30–7 p.m.. It is closed on certain major holidays, so verify holiday hours before making a special trip.

Ronald McDonald House

Phone 615-343-4000. Availability and qualification should be confirmed directly because rooms are intended for families of pediatric patients and availability changes.

Hospitality shuttle

Vanderbilt offers courtesy shuttle transportation for some families and visitors with extended hospital stays. Current hospital information lists on-call service to locations including:

• Ronald McDonald House.
• Hospitality House.
• Selected nearby hotels.

Call 615-936-1215 for current availability and routing.

Family accommodations help

Guest Services can assist with local lodging information. Call 615-322-1000.

Billing questions

General Patient Financial Services: 615-936-0910.

Pay by phone

Vanderbilt currently routes bill-payment calls based on the patient’s last name:

• A–K: 855-249-3628.
• L–Z: 833-490-0085.

Payment plans

Vanderbilt allows eligible unpaid balances to be placed on payment plans. Contact billing rather than ignoring a balance if the full amount cannot be paid.

Detailed bill

Families may request a detailed statement through My Health at Vanderbilt or by contacting Patient Financial Services.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center offers financial assistance for qualifying patients who cannot pay all or part of bills for emergency or medically necessary care.

Eligibility is generally based on household income and family size compared with Federal Poverty Guidelines. Vanderbilt uses a sliding scale and states that eligible patients receiving emergency or other medically necessary care will not be charged more than amounts generally billed to insured patients.

Vanderbilt says it typically can provide a financial-assistance decision within about 30 days after receiving the required application information.

Where to ask for an application at Monroe Carell

The current VUMC financial-assistance policy lists the Monroe Carell Children’s Hospital Business Center on the first floor, 2200 Children’s Way, as a location where applications can be obtained.

The current hospital insurance directory lists participation with many major plans, including examples such as:

• Aetna.
• BlueCross BlueShield.
• BlueCross BlueShield TennCare.
• Cigna.
• Humana.
• Optum.
• Oscar.
• TRICARE.
• UnitedHealthcare.
• UnitedHealthcare Community Care Plan.
• WellCare.
• Wellpoint.

Who may request records?

Records can be requested by the patient where legally appropriate, a parent/legal guardian of a minor child or another legal representative with required authorization.

What you should have ready

• Photo identification.
• Child’s name and identifying information.
• Provider or department name.
• Dates of service.
• Type of records needed.
• Destination address/phone/provider if sending the record elsewhere.
• Guardianship or other legal documents when required.

Radiology images

For MRI, CT, X-ray and other Vanderbilt radiology images:

• Phone: 615-322-0866.
• Fax: 615-343-6373.

My Health at Vanderbilt is the system’s patient portal and can reduce the number of calls families need to make.

Parent access to a teenager’s account

Vanderbilt’s current parent-access process requires additional authorization when the patient is 13–17 years old. The teen and parent/legal representative complete the required access agreement.

Families who need help enrolling can visit the Family Resource Center on the second floor or call portal support at 615-343-4357 and follow the help prompts.