At Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital, our purpose is clear: to reimagine what’s possible for children with medically-complex needs and for their families. We are driven to make lasting impacts in our patients’ lives, and also, change the larger complex care landscape for the better.
As I reflect on 2024, I’m so proud of the strides our team has made this year. With a rich legacy of helping children thrive, and a reinvigorated commitment to leadership in pediatric complex care, Ranken Jordan’s rate of progress is significant and impactful.
Here are some ways in which we’ve shared our Care Beyond the Bedside model this year, and how we’re setting the stage for even greater impact in the future.
Sharing Proven Models at Medical Conferences
- At the Pediatric Complex Care Association (PCAA) conference, Christina Rejko, DPT and Allison Kroeger, DPT, shared how we developed mobile ventilator carts that were designed to encourage independent exploration by patients on ventilators – something that was previously a limiting function for play and independence.
- During the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM) conference, Dr. Claire Wallace and team hosted a workshop that offered strategies for managing self-injurious and aggressive behaviors in pediatric and adult populations with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
- And, at the Brain Injury Association of Missouri Annual Conference, Katie Noll, Lead Child Life Specialist, and Margaret Chastain, Director of Patient Experience, shared ways in which families can manage life with children living with brain injuries.
Grand Rounds with Dr. Holekamp and Patrick Hogan
This November, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Nick Holekamp, Pediatric Psychologist, Dr. Claire Wallace, and our new Research Director, Patrick Hogan, MPH, were invited to the University of Chicago School of Medicine.
Dr. Holekamp gave Pediatric Grand Rounds to over 200 engaged residents, faculty, and staff, titled “The Road to OZ: Optimizing Neurodevelopment for Children with Medical Complexity.” His talk highlighted the neurodevelopmental challenges facing children with medical complexity and utilized the results of our patient-centered, time-motion studies to evaluate the implications and applications of our innovative approach to care.
While there, the team also connected with the resident physicians of Comer Children’s Hospital and participated in a discussion with the fellows of the University of Chicago Medicine Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics section, sharing best practices with other like-minded pioneers in the complex pediatric care space.
Educating Medical Students
Though Ranken Jordan is not a formal teaching hospital and receives no funding for this purpose, over the last 15 years, Ranken Jordan has become a vital educational experience for medical students and residents to learn about the growing and often overlooked field of pediatric complex care.
By partnering with regional medical schools, we provide students with invaluable exposure to our Care Beyond the Bedside model, emphasizing the importance of treating the whole child and integrating play as a critical tool for healing—an insight we hope they carry into their future practices.
Advancing Research and Proving the Model
Under the guidance of our new research director, Patrick Hogan, we’ve doubled down on measuring the long-term impact of our programs. For the first time, we’re collecting longitudinal data to show how kids thrive with access to Ranken Jordan’s unique approach. These insights will strengthen our position and prove what we’ve known all along: our care model changes lives for the better.
Recognition for Excellence
Our Therapy Brain Injury Workgroup received the Service Excellence Award for their updates to the Brain Injury Educational Manual. This resource is a testament to our dedication to evidence-based care. We’re so proud of the work that this team – Katie Noll, Margaret Chastain, Katie Costello, Sally Katz, Christina Rejko, Kristina Muscolino, Kayla Cashen, Ellen Nahlik, and Shannon Urban – has done to support families as they navigate challenging rehabilitation conditions.
Sharing How We Amplify Our Model
Our team also presented at the 2024 Missouri Hospital Association PR and Marketing Conference, where our Communications Coordinator, Seth.Akakpo-Lado, emphasized how Ranken Jordan’s unique care model and culture can serve as an inspiration for others in the field. By refining our use of video and social media, we’re offering a glimpse into the impact our model has on patients’ lives, and inviting others to adopt aspects of our model.
Additionally, we have been featured in numerous media articles this year, which has helped extend our message to other decision-makers and leaders. These include Becker’s Hospital Review Podcast, where Dr. Holekamp explains how play leads to healing in children, and dozens of local St. Louis media interviews highlighting patient success stories, our dedicated volunteers, our innovative education solutions for hospitalized children, our 20th building anniversary and play-centric renovations and much more.
Our Plans for the Future
This year, our team has embraced challenges and driven change, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of pediatric healthcare.
As we enter a new year, we’re not slowing down. We’re committed to expand upon our research initiatives, and will be examining data to demonstrate the full impact of Ranken Jordan’s programs on developmental progress and family outcomes.
And, we will continue to lay the groundwork to engage decision-makers at every level—clinical, organizational, and legislative—advocating for systemic change that benefits kids and families across the country.
Together, we’ll continue proving the power of our Care Beyond the Bedside model, reimagining what’s possible, and leading the charge to create a world where every child with complex medical needs lives their best life.
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