TUCSON, Ariz. — Banner Medical Center on Campbell is opening a new pediatric emergency department on Tuesday, January 20th. Claire Graham got an exclusive sneak peak inside, to see how the facility will be able to help children.
The Banner Children's Diamond Children's Medical Center Pediatric Emergency Department might be a mouthful to say, but finding it and getting access to care, will be anything but a challenge. There's a bright new mural currently being painted on the outside of the building, ready to welcome you in.
Dr. Nathaniel Fox is the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Medical Director at Banner, heading up the new department. It has 4 more rooms than their former ER, along with new specialized areas.
"We've increased this space to have 22 beds," he explained. "So that we can shorten wait times, get kids back from the lobby faster and see more kids, because we're just seeing higher numbers of pediatric patients ever since COVID."
The new configuration is completely separate from the adult ER at Banner, with a specific pediatric entrance and lobby.
"They can feel safer in this space," Fox said. "But what we also know, when we look at literature across the country, is that when kids are treated in a dedicated space by dedicated pediatric staff, their outcomes are better too."
That's exactly what parents like Sedona Scheopner are hoping for, for patients like her son Arlo. Who's not even two years old. He was born with a heart condition, and related medical issues have often landed him in the emergency room.
"To just have a dedicated space just to wait for the kids is going to be something incredible," Scheopner said. "Sometimes when you're mixed with adults, you kind of just never know what you're getting, so to be able to have him there and see other kids just like him is going to be incredible."
To be able to accommodate more patients, the pediatric emergency department has a special room for psychiatric emergencies, where they can lower a door to block off everything except the bed, so they can better protect the patient. There's an extra space where patients can play, and doctors can observe them. But the most unique new areas, are the two new sensory rooms for patients with autism or ADHD, specially fitted with gadgets like weighted lights called a unicorn tails, and a projector.
"These are all designed to reduce stress for those patients," Fox explained. "The neurodivergent patients that come in are a unique patient population that we're seeing increased numbers of those patients coming in, and it's really important for us to provide a safe space for them. And we're really excited about these two rooms. No other hospital in Tucson has this capability, and it's a first for our community."
The new pediatric department is also expanding their fast track, to easily take care of the bumps, bruises, stitches and colds that come in. They're also growing the specialized, life threatening illnesses they're able to treat.
"Soon we'll be able to house them right here, and so families won't have to get transferred up to Phoenix to get that care," Fox said.
The new emergency department will be open 24 hours a day.
Claire Graham is an anchor and reporter for Good Morning Tucson on KGUN 9. She grew up in Tucson and graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in musical theatre. Claire spent a decade in Washington state, but she's thrilled to be back home in the beautiful southwest with her husband, two young sons and two rescued dogs. Share your story ideas and important issues with Claire by emailing claire.graham@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and X.
