Norton Children’s Hospital: Pediatric Care & Info

Level I status means Norton Children’s can provide comprehensive treatment for severely injured children with pediatric emergency physicians, trauma surgeons and prompt access to subspecialists around the clock.

Emergency specialty backup includes

• Pediatric trauma surgery.
• Orthopedic surgery.
• Neurosurgery.
• Anesthesiology.
• Radiology.
• Plastic surgery.
• Oral and maxillofacial surgery.
• Pediatric critical care.

“Just for Kids” Transport Team

Norton Children’s operates a specialized pediatric transport service using mobile intensive-care ambulances, helicopter transport and fixed-wing aircraft when appropriate.

Transport Team: 888-729-9111.

Where families enter

The public Emergency Department entrance is reached through the lower level of the parking garage behind Norton Children’s Hospital. The Chestnut Street trauma entrance is intended for ambulance traffic.

Norton MyChart appointment tools

Existing patients can use MyChart to schedule eligible appointments, join wait lists, review upcoming visits and complete eCheck-in before arrival.

Pediatric cardiology

Pediatric neurology and neurosurgery

Pediatric surgery

Pediatric orthopedics

Norton Children’s Heart Institute treats children and adults with congenital heart disease and provides advanced inpatient and outpatient cardiovascular care.

Heart programs include

• General pediatric cardiology.
• Fetal cardiology.
• Congenital heart surgery.
• Cardiac catheterization.
• Electrophysiology.
• Heart rhythm treatment.
• Heart failure care.
• Heart transplantation.
• Adult congenital heart disease.
• Cardiac anesthesia.
• Cardiac critical care.

Jennifer Lawrence Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

Norton Children’s Hospital operates a dedicated 17-room cardiac intensive care unit for children with complex heart disease and for patients recovering from cardiac procedures.

Neurology programs include

• Epilepsy.
• Headache and migraine.
• Neuromuscular disease.
• Stroke.
• Movement disorders.
• Neurogenetics.
• Neuropsychology.
• Complex neurodevelopmental conditions.

Neurosurgery treats

• Brain tumors.
• Brain injury.
• Hydrocephalus.
• Chiari malformation.
• Epilepsy requiring surgery.
• Spina bifida.
• Spine tumors.
• Tethered spinal cord.
• Traumatic neurological injury.

Norton Children’s Cancer Institute has a multidisciplinary team of more than 200 people caring for infants, children and teens with cancer and blood disorders.

Programs include

• Leukemia.
• Lymphoma.
• Brain tumors.
• Bone and soft-tissue tumors.
• Solid tumors.
• Blood disorders.
• Sickle cell disease.
• Bone marrow transplantation.
• Pediatric surgery.
• Clinical research.
• Psychology and social support.
• Long-term survivorship care.

Ashok B. Raj, MD is among the pediatric hematology/oncology physicians currently highlighted by Norton Children’s Cancer Institute.

Orthopedic care includes

• Fractures.
• Sports injuries.
• Scoliosis.
• Pediatric spine disorders.
• Hip disorders.
• Birth-related orthopedic conditions.
• Bone disease.
• Musculoskeletal tumors.
• Cerebral palsy-related orthopedic care.

Published self-pay office cost

Norton Children’s Orthopedics currently states that a self-pay office visit typically ranges from $100 to $250, depending on the services provided.

This verification reflects comprehensive pediatric surgical capability, staffing, quality review and availability of children’s medical and surgical subspecialists.

Surgical programs include

• Pediatric general surgery.
• Trauma surgery.
• Cardiothoracic surgery.
• Neurosurgery.
• Orthopedic surgery.
• ENT surgery.
• Urologic surgery.
• Colorectal surgery.
• Plastic and reconstructive surgery.
• Oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Surgery arrival

Families parking in the hospital garage enter on the garage’s first-floor connection, check in at the welcome desk and then proceed to the surgical registration area as directed.

Bring for surgery

• Parent/guardian photo ID.
• Insurance card.
• Custody or guardianship paperwork when applicable.
• Medication list.
• Comfortable loose clothing.
• An extra set of clothing.
• A familiar toy or comfort item if appropriate.

Norton Children’s Hospital provides dedicated pediatric intensive-care treatment for critically ill and injured infants, children and adolescents.

PICU care may involve

• Pediatric intensivists.
• Critical-care nurses.
• Respiratory therapists.
• Advanced cardiovascular and respiratory monitoring.
• Specialty consultation.
• Postoperative critical care.
• Trauma critical care.
• Neurological critical care.

The renovated PICU includes family-oriented private spaces designed to support caregivers during prolonged or complex hospital stays.

Level IV capability includes

• Care for extremely premature infants.
• Complex newborn medical conditions.
• Pediatric surgical subspecialists.
• Pediatric anesthesiology.
• Advanced respiratory support.
• Neonatal surgery.
• Specialty consultation.
• Regional newborn transport.

AngelEye camera system

Eligible NICU families can use the secure AngelEye camera system to check on their baby remotely through an internet connection.

NICU tours

Families expecting a NICU stay can ask about an in-person tour by calling 502-629-5835.

After the regular walk-in testing hours, emergency diagnostic testing is available through the Emergency Department when medically necessary.

Before testing

• Confirm whether an appointment is required.
• Confirm the provider order has been received.
• Ask about fasting or preparation instructions.
• Bring insurance information.
• Bring prior imaging when requested.

Norton Children’s uses pediatric pharmacists throughout its hospital and specialty programs. Norton Pharmacy also offers prescription management and bedside delivery at most Norton Healthcare and Norton Children’s hospitals for eligible prescriptions.

Norton Specialty Pharmacy

What a hospital bill can include

• Room or facility services.
• Nursing.
• Surgical services.
• Medical supplies.
• Laboratory testing.
• Imaging.
• Medications.
• Other hospital services.

Separate professional bills

Norton Children’s explains that physician services may be billed separately, including charges from:

• Surgeons.
• Anesthesiologists.
• Radiologists.
• Pathologists.
• Other physicians involved in care.

Getting an estimate

For the best estimate, have:

• Insurance information.
• Name of the procedure/service.
• CPT code when available.

The hospital’s current network list includes many commercial and government plans, including examples such as:

Ask before scheduled care

• Is Norton Children’s Hospital in-network?
• Is the specific specialist in-network?
• Is a referral required?
• Is prior authorization required?
• What deductible remains?
• What specialist copay applies?
• Will physician charges be billed separately?

Current eligibility also considers

• Insurance status.
• Government-program eligibility.
• Household income.
• Household resources/assets.
• Type of care received.

Application documents

Applicants are generally asked to submit:

• Completed application.
• Three months of bank statements for household accounts.
• Tax documentation or other income records when requested.
• Other documents needed under the financial-assistance policy.

Norton Children’s states that applications can be made at any time.

Where to get an application

• Online.
• At any Norton Healthcare Emergency Department.
• By calling 502-479-6300.
• By calling 800-874-3979.

Mailing address

Norton Healthcare
SBO Financial Assistance, Dept. 14-7
P.O. Box 35070
Louisville, KY 40232-9972

The hospital parking garage is behind Norton Children’s Hospital at 210 Abraham Flexner Way. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Current visitor garage rates

Longer hospital stays

Registration provides a parking pass for one family member’s vehicle for the duration of the patient’s stay.

Other visitors can currently purchase a seven-day parking pass for $10.

Hospital entry from garage

• Main hospital entry: first floor of parking garage, available 24/7.
• Emergency Department: lower level garage entrance, available 24/7.
• Pedway access may be restricted.

Public transportation

TARC routes 19 and 21 stop near Norton Children’s Hospital.

Primary caregivers

Primary caregivers generally must be age 18 or older unless they are the child’s parent or legal guardian.

Norton Children’s uses its visitor-management system to register primary caregivers so they can access the child’s unit.

Secondary caregivers and visitors

Up to four designated secondary caregivers/visitors may be identified for the admission.

Current visiting hours for those secondary visitors are: 9 a.m.–9 p.m..

Bedside limit

Only two visitors at the bedside at one time. At least one bedside visitor must be age 18 or older.

Siblings

Siblings age 12 and older may be included among the designated secondary visitors under the current inpatient policy.

Outpatient / ER / surgery visitor rule

Two visitors may accompany a pediatric patient to Norton Children’s outpatient, emergency, surgery and testing services. Children younger than 12 may not accompany the patient in those settings.

Norton Children’s states that medical-record requests are generally processed within 14 business days.

Request options

• Online medical-record request.
• Norton MyChart.
• Paper authorization form.
• Request a form by phone.

When an active Norton MyChart account is available, patient-requested records may be delivered into that account.

Mailing address

Health Information Management
N16 P.O. Box 35070
Louisville, KY 40232-5070

How parents request proxy access

Norton Children’s emphasizes family-centered pediatric care and offers support services designed for children, siblings and caregivers.

Family care conference

A formal family care conference may be useful when:

• The child has been hospitalized for more than seven days.
• The care plan is complex.
• A major diagnosis or treatment change occurs.
• Discharge planning is complicated.
• The parent/guardian requests a conference.

What families should bring for an inpatient stay

• Insurance cards.
• Parent/guardian photo ID.
• Child’s immunization record.
• Guardianship/custody papers when applicable.
• Current medication information.
• Glasses, hearing aids or other necessary devices.
• Comfortable clothing.
• Favorite blanket, toy or pacifier when appropriate.

Hospital food

Families can cross the second-floor pedway to Norton Hospital for cafeteria options when pedway access is available.

Food trucks also are commonly available around the downtown medical campus, and families can use local food-delivery services.

Norton Children’s Hospital Gift Shop

Nearby lodging

Families traveling from outside Louisville can use Norton Children’s current patient-resources pages for nearby hotels and lodging options.

Out-of-town assistance

Norton Healthcare Access Center: 888-486-6786.