HJBR Nov/Dec 2019

Dialogue 12 NOV / DEC 2019 I  Healthcare Journal of baton rouge   Chief Editor Smith W. Hartley What was the need for a stand- alone children’s hospital in Baton Rouge? Trey Dunbar, MD Investments and decisions such as these are not often decided overnight, but are dreamed about, prayed for, and planned for a very long time. Our vision is to be a national leader in pediatric health through demonstrably improving the health and well-being of Louisiana’s children now, and for future generations. We are making this vision a reality by delivering innovative care and education, and pro- viding exceptional experiences for patients and families. For us, making this vision a reality starts in Baton Rouge. Cur- rently, toomany families in Baton Rouge leave their homes and their loved ones to travel outside of the area, including other states, to seek state-of-the-art tertiary care for children. Our new children’s hospital puts us in a better position to expand the depth and breadth of pediatric services provided in the Baton Rouge community. Our health system, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, has grown dramatically across the state and region in recent years. This is particularly true for pediatric care. Collectively, our physicians and hospitals are the larg- est providers of pediatric healthcare in Louisiana. We care for patients from all 64 parishes, and receive transfers from neighboring states for higher level care. This has increased the demand for pediatric subspecialty services within our health system, and Our Lady of the Lake has supported this demand through rapid growth in pediatric subspecialty services. The children’s hospital campus provides a state-of-the-art envi- ronment, and serves as a hub for statewide and regional sub- specialty pediatric care.