Working As A Team

• The Staff of the NICU- the doctors, nurses and nurse aides, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, respiratory therapists and social workers- are here not only to care for your baby, but to provide you with information, answer your questions and offer support as well
• Other team members include nutritionists, pharmacists, physical and occupational therapists, radiology and sonography technicians as well as any needed pediatric medical consultant
• Each medical professional brings a special expertise to the medical treatment that each baby receives
• The more you know about your baby and his/her condition the better you will be able to participate in the planning for your baby's care
• Please feel free to ask as many questions as you wish.

During your baby's stay in the NICU you will probably come to know your baby's nurses the best. We encourage you to speak with your child's medical care providers as well.

• As an academic teaching hospital we have pediatric trainees-interns, residents and fellows (doctors who are specializing in the care of children and newborns), in addition to nurse practitioners, physician assistants and attending Neonatologists who care of the baby(ies).
• Every baby in the NICU is assigned a medical provider (intern, resident, or practitioner) in addition to an attending Neonatologist.
• The attending Neonatologist supervises the care provided by all the members of the baby's health care team.

As Parents, We Value And Encourage Your Involvement.

• You are important partners in the planning for your baby's health care.
• We want you to trust us and feel involved in your child's care.
• The best way for you to help your baby, and be partners with us, is to be involved, learn as much about your baby as possible and to spend as much time as you can with your baby.
• The NICU staff will try, as much as possible, to keep you informed about your baby's progress, any changes in your baby's condition or when an emergency arises.
• We encourage you to call as often as you wish and we will be happy to speak with you on the telephone or in person.
• Through the generosity of a family of one of our former graduates, we are developing a Family Learning Center that will provide parents with access to the Internet and print materials about their child's medical condition, health and developmental needs and treatment options.

Providing Breast Milk for Your Baby Is Important

• The evidence is overwhelming that breast milk is the best nutrition for the majority of babies, especially premature and sick newborns.
• Even if you are not planning on breastfeeding after you take your baby home, there are tremendous health benefits to your newborn (and you) if we can feed your colostrum and breast milk to your baby.
• Lactation consultants as well as the nursing and medical staff of the Labor and Delivery, Mother-Baby and Neonatal Units are available to assist you with expressing your breast milk and maintaining your milk supply.
• The NICU has breast milk storage facilities.
• Breast pump for rental or purchase, and nursing supplies are available through the hospital, 718-904-4018.
• Electric breast pumps are available on the Mother-Baby Unit and in the NICU for use in expressing your breast milk while your baby is in the hospital.
• There are very few circumstances in which we are not able to give a mother's milk to her infant.

• If you have any concerns about this we will be happy to discuss them with you.

Perinatal and Neonatal Research

The development of new medical knowledge has led to important advances in high-risk pregnancy and newborn care during the past fifty years. Gains have been achieved in terms of:

• Improved survival rates for premature babies and infants born with serious illness or birth defects.
• Better health and development for these children.

Such improvements would not have been possible without the help of parents who, under specific circumstances, graciously permitted their infants' participation in various studies and investigations designed to test or compare the benefits of various treatments.

As part of our commitment to providing the best treatment and applying the latest scientific knowledge to the care of the babies, we may request your consideration about allowing your baby to participation in a clinical study.

• Any study that we offer a mother or baby enrollment in has been rigorously reviewed and analyzed:
  • By an independent committee of scientists, physicians, patient advocates and ethicists to assure that the proposed investigation is based on sound science and medicine.
  • Places patient benefit, safety and confidentiality in the highest regard.
• If you are approached about your baby's possible participation in a research study by one of the physicians or practitioners, we encourage you to:
  • Ask as many questions as you wish.
  • Carefully review any materials given to you to read.
  • Make sure that you understand the study's purpose, its proposed benefits and potential risks, so that you will be able to make an informed decision.
• Although we hope that you will agree to allow your baby's participation in one of our studies, be assured that it will no way affect how we treat either your baby or you, if you:
  • Do not wish to give your permission, or
  • You want to discontinue your baby's participation in a study.
• NO infant is enrolled in any study or investigational protocol without a parent's informed and written consent.

Payment for Physician Services

You will receive a bill for physician's services from the Pediatrics Department at Montefiore if your baby is cared for by one of the Neonatologists while your newborn is in the:

• NICU or Newborn Nursery, or
• If we are asked by you or your Obstetrician to attend your baby's birth, or
• If we are asked by your pediatrician to consult on the baby because of a specific medical concern.

The bill for physician's services is separate from the hospital bill you will receive for the baby's daily hospital care.

The Faculty of the Section of Neonatology are enrolled in most insurance and managed care plans. We also accept Medicaid for payment of the physician's services. If your plan requires that you are responsible for any co-insurance or deductible for physician services, you will receive an additional invoice for these charges.

To ensure that we submit these bills to the proper insurance carrier, we need to have your current, accurate insurance information. The Neonatology biller will contact you while your baby is still in the hospital to verify your infant's insurance coverage. The biller is also available to assist you with your insurance carrier if there are any questions

If you have any questions, please feel free to call the Neonatology office 718-904-4105 during weekday business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30AM - 4:00PM.