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Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center to open Level II NICU on Oct. 31

New unit expands access to specialized care for newborns and their families

Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center will expand its Family Birthing Suite, opening a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) on Saturday, Oct. 31. The new NICU reflects Penn State Health’s ongoing commitment to expanding access to specialized care for the communities it serves. The new unit includes three beds and provides specialized support for newborns who require more specialized care than is available in a standard newborn nursery.

The Level II NICU will serve infants who are:

  • Born at 32 weeks’ gestation or later, or who weigh approximately three pounds, five ounces or more.
  • Mildly to moderately ill with conditions expected to resolve quickly.
  • Not anticipated to need urgent subspecialty services.
  • In need of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or short-term mechanical ventilation.
  • Transferred back from higher-level facilities for convalescent care.

“This is an exciting time for Lancaster Medical Center and for our community,” said Joseph Frank, president of Penn State Health Lancaster and St. Joseph medical centers. “With the opening of our Level II NICU, families can stay close to home, close to their support systems and, most importantly, close to their baby. We are proud to expand the care we can provide to newborns and their families right here in Lancaster.”

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Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center opens Level II NICU
The Obstetrics and Gynecology team at Lancaster Medical Center offers personalized, evidence-based maternity care tailored to each family’s needs and birth preferences. The Family Birthing Suite features private labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum rooms, on-site lactation support and an operating room on the same floor for planned and unexpected cesarean deliveries. Through coordinated care with Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and full support of the Level IV NICU team at Penn State Health Golisano Children’s Hospital, mothers and newborns also have access to advanced specialty services when needed.

The Level II NICU was made possible in part through generous philanthropic commitments from the following individuals and organizations:

  • Thomas Golisano
  • Robert and Deborah Bowman
  • Children’s Miracle Network
  • High Foundation
  • IBEW Local #743
  • Jeffrey and Jane Tennis
  • The Hershey Company

Funding was also provided by the Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.

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