New Pediatric Emergency Center opens at Children’s & Women’s Hospital

By Lindsay Hughes
lahughes@health.southalabama.edu

With great anticipation, staff opened the doors of the new Pediatric Emergency Center at USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital to patients and their families Monday morning. 

“Our new Pediatric Emergency Center will transform care delivery for our children within this community and beyond,” said Deborah Browning, M.S.N., RN, CENP, chief executive officer of Children’s & Women’s Hospital. “With specially trained pediatric emergency nurses, pediatric emergency medicine physicians, respiratory therapists and child life specialists, we are able to offer care that uniquely meets the needs of the children – from newborns to age 18.”

The newly expanded center is nearly 19,000 square feet – more than double the size of the former emergency department – and has more than 30 treatment areas, including 25 private treatment rooms. The center provides more space for parents and caregivers to be with their children and offers sensory strategies to help calm and support patients during their emergency visit.  

Open 24 hours a day, every day, the Pediatric Emergency Center has achieved 100% compliance with the Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Program's National Pediatric Readiness Project. The assessment tool empowers emergency departments to improve their capability to provide high-quality care for children, also known as being “pediatric ready.” 

“This is transformative,” said Edward Panacek, M.D., M.P.H., professor and chair of the department of emergency medicine. “The state-of-the-art capabilities of this new Pediatric Emergency Center, staffed by the only pediatric emergency specialists in the region, bring truly world-class pediatric care to Mobile.” 

USA Health broke ground on the project in fall 2021 and dedicated the center in January 2024. 

Learn more about the Pediatric Emergency Center.