"Grand View Hospital has always had a strong commitment to caring for mothers-to-be, newborns, and children. The Hospital has delivered and cared for more than 50,000 babies since opening in 1913.

The ten obstetrician/gynecologists at the Hospital, all of whom practice exclusively at Grand View, offer more than 125 years of collective experience. The equally-accomplished attending pediatricians at the Hospital are supported by a level of in-hospital physician coverage that is unmatched in the region. Grand View's physicians are complemented by a friendly, caring maternity unit staff of 39 nurses with a collective 380 years of experience.

Grand View's Maternal and Child Health services include:

• On-site 24-hour pediatric coverage (the CHOP Connection);
• A Level 2 Special Care Nursery;
• The only dedicated pediatric unit in the region;
• Mothers can usually expect a private room;
• 24-hour anesthesiology coverage;
• Both comprehensive and individualized childbirth education programs;
• Expanded genetic testing and hearing screenings.

When Grand View Hospital opened in 1913, a special area was set aside for the care of children. That was unusual at the time, and even today, Grand View remains the only hospital in the region with a dedicated pediatrics unit. Parents take comfort knowing that children are cared for by nurses and physicians trained specifically to care for childhood illnesses and injury, in a unit that was designed to meet the unique health needs of youngsters.

Grand View's commitment to pediatrics was strengthened in 1996 with the addition of the CHOP Connection. CHOP is an acronym for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, which in partnership with Grand View provides full-time, on-site, 24-hour pediatric physician staffing.

"Grand View and Children's Hospital have a great partnership," says Ronald Souder, M.D., Chairman of Pediatrics at Grand View. "If a child begins to have difficulties while hospitalized, a CHOP pediatrician is on-site to assist him or her. In the maternity unit, if a mother is considered to be at high risk, or has had a cesarean in the past, a CHOP pediatrician is immediately available to care for the newborn."

According to Andrew Chu, M.D., Medical Director of the CHOP Connection at Grand View, the program works well due to the enthusiastic cooperation of community pediatricians and family practice doctors. "By providing 24-hour-a-day coverage at the Hospital, we free other doctors to provide additional care in outpatient settings."

In addition, he adds, there is a certain level of expertise that comes from practicing medicine solely at a hospital. "We have a lot of experience with the situations that can arise, and that expertise enhances the level of care available at the Hospital."

The key to the CHOP program's success lies in acceptance by parents as well as physicians, Dr. Chu continues. "Many parents tell us that they feel very reassured knowing there is a pediatrician available to provide 24-hour care for their children at Grand View."

Around-the-clock coverage is especially important when newborns need special attention. While every birth is a special occasion, some babies require more care than others. Grand View is well-prepared to care for these situations in its Level 2 Special Care Nursery. Babies in need of IV therapy, oxygen, or antibiotic therapy are cared for by a team of certified nurse specialists, pediatricians, registered nurses, and respiratory therapists.

If a newborn's condition requires intensive care or a specialist's attention, Grand View's strong relationship with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia means these services are available quickly and conveniently. Infants may transfer to Children's Hospital for high-level intensive care services, then return to Grand View to receive additional care as their health improves. The Grand View Special Care Nursery staff also teaches parents the special skills they'll need to care for their infant at home.

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Grand View pediatrician Edward Rothstein, M.D., has been recognized by the American Academy of Pediatrics with the prestigious 2001 Practitioner Research Award. The annual honor goes to one physician among the Academy's 55,000 members who cares for children in an office-based setting and also conducts and publishes research that improves the health of children.

"I am particularly honored to receive this award because the Academy is such a tremendous advocate for children's health," says Dr. Rothstein, who practices at Pennridge Pediatric Associates, with offices in Sellersville and Harleysville. "The credit, however, should go to those most responsible for it; the thousands of children and parents who volunteered and continue to volunteer to participate in our studies and the nurses and other doctors at Pennridge who have been such an important part of the studies.

"I would also like to credit Grand View Hospital's administration, medical staff, and employees, all of whom have been tremendously supportive of the activities of Pennridge Pediatrics, both in research and patient care."

Dr. Rothstein's research efforts have centered on the testing of new vaccines for children. Since 1983, he has authored or co-authored more than 50 publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at international scientific meetings. The information obtained from the studies he and Pennridge Pediatrics have conducted has been used by the FDA to approve nine of the thirteen vaccines routinely recommended for children in this country and throughout the world.

Dr. Rothstein, who has a passion for his work and research, always has the patient's safety in mind. For this reason, he serves on Grand View's Institutional Review Board (IRB), which oversees clinical trials done in the Hospital, or under its auspices, including the research undertaken by Pennridge Pediatrics. The IRB is a committee of medical professionals who approve and periodically review research studies for scientific and ethical merit. Many groups of physicians in this area do research studies, with an average of three new clinical trials beginning each month.

Winners of the Practitioner Research Award serve as a model to other physicians, who might be interested in research, but are concerned that clinical research will prove too time-consuming, or will meet resistance from concerned parents.

"We have found that parents welcome these studies," says Dr. Rothstein, "and that physicians can fit research into busy schedules. We feel that this is important work which can save lives."