The University of Maryland Children's Hospital (UMCH) offers groundbreaking, compassionate pediatric care to the children of Maryland and beyond. Within UMCH, teams of neonatal specialists provide round-the-clock-care for our smallest and most fragile patients, including babies with birth weights under 1.5 pounds as well as critically ill babies with life-threatening medical conditions.
Opened five years ago, the Drs. Rouben and Violet Jiji Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Children's Hospital remains only one of two NICU units in Maryland with the Level lV designation, a designation that acknowledges the highest level of medical expertise currently available. This level of excellence has been sustained by innovative research, cutting-edge approaches, and an astonishing 93 percent survival success rate.
The renovated Drs. Rouben and Violet Jiji NICU opened in September 2015. This $35 million renovation, funded in part by philanthropy, tripled the footprint of the NICU from 12,500 to 37, 612 square feet and expanded the number of babies treated at one time from 40 to 52. Since its opening, the NICU has cared for 800 babies a year, an unanticipated increase of 25 percent.
Along with the updated facility, focus was placed on a true family-centered experience coupled with successful patient outcomes. The strategically designed NICU provides parents private interactions with their baby day and night as well as a family waiting area and lounge complete with a kitchen and bathroom with shower capacity. Patient families as well as staff have welcomed the large, environmentally safe and LEED-certified space, and the feedback on patient/family enhancements has been overwhelmingly positive.
Select features of the Drs. Rouben and Violet Jiji NICU at a glance:
Read more about features of the NICU here
Having a baby in the NICU is a challenging, life-changing experience. The impact on families is deeply profound. While some parents are prepared that their newborn will need NICU care, for others it is a total shock. NICU stays can be as brief as 24 hours or as long as many months. The NICU staff does an extraordinary job of delivering state-of-the-art care all the while incorporating the baby’s parents into every aspect of their child’s daily routine.
Each and every gift to the NICU, no matter the size, makes a difference, not only for the critically ill baby, but also for the parents and staff.
Your gift to the Drs. Rouben and Violet Jiji NICU will provide funding for initiatives such as:
Learn more about ways you can help here or call Suzanne Boyle at 410-328-2391.
Every NICU story is powerful. Learn how our NICU has a meaningful impact for patients and their families.
110 South Paca Street, 9th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21201
410.328.5770
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