Call 800-554-9550 for
Pediatric Emergency Care
Frequently Asked Questions
Where and when did the Cardinal Glennon Pediatric Emergency Department at St. Anthony’s Medical Center open?
Adjacent to the existing Emergency Department of St. Anthony’s Medical Center, 10010 Kennerly Road, in South St. Louis County. It opened in December 2007. Construction began in spring 2007.
What types of pediatric emergencies are treated here?
St. Anthony’s traditionally has treated all types of pediatric emergencies. The difference is the ability to hold patients for 23-hour observation, provide fluids for dehydration and treat other conditions that require more extended medical observation. Previously, this could not be done at St. Anthony’s Medical Center, and families had to go to Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center for treatment.
What is the size/treatment capacity of the pediatric
emergency department?
The 10,000-square-foot, single-floor wing has 11 treatment rooms, three “23-hour” observation rooms, one trauma room and one trauma/orthopedic procedure room. An oval nursing station is located at the center of the department.
What makes this pediatric emergency department better than a traditional emergency department?
Pediatric emergency physicians and nurses understand that treating a sick or injured child is not like treating a small adult. Children have very special physical, developmental, pharmacologic and psychological needs in times of trauma. With double the number of treatment rooms available at St. Anthony’s pediatric emergency unit, the Cardinal Glennon Pediatric Emergency Department has an increased capacity for treating pediatric patients. There are no adult patients, only children with emergency medical needs.
How does the equipment/technology differ from a traditional emergency department?
The pediatric emergency department was built and equipped with technology and furnishings designed especially for the care and comfort of patients ranging from birth to 18 years and their families. Pediatric crash carts, which are stocked with medical supplies for use in critical emergencies, were designed to be compatible with Cardinal Glennon’s equipment. A color coding system denotes the size of the child. The 23-hour observation rooms has over-sized recliners to assure the comfort of parents who want to stay close to their children.
What does the Cardinal Glennon Pediatric Emergency Department at St. Anthony’s look like?
Designed by St. Anthony’s pediatricians Megan McBride, D.O.; Christina Ojascastro, M.D., and Marsha Vedova, M.D., the Pediatric Emergency Department has an inviting, family-friendly look. The theme is “Colors Come to Life,” with prismatic (xylophone) colors reflecting the spectrum of the rainbow and a playful environment of circles, ranging from soap bubbles to planets to sports balls.
Who staffs the emergency department? How are the doctors and nurses employed?
There are five full-time and two part-time pediatric emergency department physicians, employed by Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center and serving on the staffs of both Cardinal Glennon and St. Anthony’s, along with a dedicated core of pediatric nurses employed by St. Anthony’s.
Hasn’t St. Anthony’s always served pediatric emergency patients? Why did it team up with Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center?
St. Anthony’s hosts approximately 11,000 pediatric emergency visits annually, while Cardinal Glennon hosts some 38,000 visits. To better serve the families in its community, St. Anthony’s wanted to provide more specialized pediatric emergency care, from Cardinal Glennon physicians, close to home. Since 2003, Cardinal Glennon has been providing neonatology services and pediatric outpatient clinics at St. Anthony’s. In 2006, Cardinal Glennon started offering outpatient pediatric surgery and management of pediatric emergency department physicians at St. Anthony’s.
How does the care at Cardinal Glennon Pediatric Emergency Department differ from that at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center?
Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center continues to provide all services for pediatric mental health patients. Patients who need to stay in a hospital longer than 23 hours will be transferred to Cardinal Glennon. In addition, the most traumatic or seriously injured patients should go directly to Cardinal Glennon if possible. However, the pediatric emergency department at St. Anthony’s is able to treat and stabilize any patient.
Why bring a child to the pediatric emergency department at St. Anthony’s if I think my child will be transferred to Cardinal Glennon anyway?
It’s much more convenient for parents living in south county, Jefferson County or southern Illinois to have their child evaluated close to home and, only if necessary, transferred to Cardinal Glennon.
For information or a physician referral, please call 800-554-9550 or visit our online physician referral.
At St. Anthony's, our vision is to be the area's premier health care organization — and your first choice for health care services.