Prosper opens Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to meet growing demand
North Texas has seen tremendous growth in recent years. Just a few months ago, Fort Worth's population topped one million, and many nearby suburbs are also booming.
This growth has led to the development of much-needed services. I
In Prosper, a brand-new Level 1 NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) just opened, and what makes this facility so important is that it's located inside a children's hospital.
Specialists now closer to families
"When the baby is here, they have all specialists, pediatric board-certified specialists here, whether it's our neonatologist or cardiologist, all the different services here on one team supporting each of these kiddos," said Kevin Greene, president of Cook Children's Medical Center Prosper.
Up until now, families had to travel to Dallas or Fort Worth for this specific care.
"The closest NICU that's within a children's hospital is a little over 55 miles," said Greene.
Serving North Texas and beyond
Greene said they noticed the area was growing and saw a demand for care.
"We're not only serving North Texas, but the surrounding region and states that surround Texas," said Greene.
According to the city, Prosper's population surpassed 42,000 last year, and the U.S. Census lists Collin County in the top 10 for growth.
Facility designed with families in mind
"We have 10 rooms with 11 beds. One of the rooms does have a twin bed. So that we could care for twins if we needed to," said nurse manager Tiffany Pullom.
As someone who works directly with the families, Pullom said parents continue to express how life-changing it is to have this type of facility much closer.
"There has been so much excitement and passion, commitment to excellence surrounding opening up this NICU," said Pullom.