Neonatal Services Provided
- Level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
- 24-hour coverage by a neonatologist
- Attendance at high-risk deliveries
- Thermoregulation
- IV and arterial access including umbilical venous and arterial catheters, PICC lines and peripheral IVs
- Blood transfusions and exchange transfusions
- Spinal taps
- Ultrasound, MRI, CT scans
- Echocardiograms
- Intubation and mechanical ventilation, noninvasive ventilation, CPAP, high flow nasal cannula
- High frequency oscillator ventilation
- Inhaled nitric oxide therapy
- Therapeutic hypothermia and aEEG monitoring
- IV nutrition, IV medications
- Retinopathy exams and laser treatment
- Pre- and post-operative care
- Subspecialty care in consultation with pediatric subspecialists
- Prenatal consultations
- Telehealth consultations and delivery attendance
Advanced Care for Premature or Sick Infants
- Monitoring and support of vital body functions
- Intravenous therapy including antibiotics and total parenteral nutrition
- Placement and maintenance of umbilical lines and peripherally inserted central catheters
- Conventional and high-frequency ventilation
- Nitric oxide
- NICU follow-up clinic
Neonatal Conditions Treated
- Arrhythmias
- Anemia
- Nonsurgical heart defects
- Intraventricular hemorrhage
- Pneumonia
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Narcotic withdrawal
- Patent ductus arteriosus
- Hypoglycemia
- Prematurity
- Infection
- Jaundice
- Apnea
- Respiratory distress syndrome
- Hydrocephalus
- Spina bifida
- Feeding problems
- Birth defects/genetic disorders
- Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy
- Respiratory failure
- Transient tachypnea of the newborn
- Chronic lung disease
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Seizures
- Surgical issues
- Hernias
- Tracheoesophageal fistula
- Omphalocele
- Gastroschisis
- Necrotizing enterocolitis
- Bowel obstruction/atresia
- Diaphragmatic hernia
- Anorectal malformation
- Lung malformation
- Hirschprung’s disease
Neonatal Telemedicine
The Kalispell Regional Healthcare neonatal telemedicine program connects you directly with a neonatologist who can:
- Consult on your patient and give a virtual examination
- Give recommendations and help manage your patient
- Help determine if a transfer to a higher level of care is indicated
- Assist in facilitating an emergency transfer
This can result in a significant decrease in health care costs and an increase in patient satisfaction by helping to determine which patients need transfer to a higher level of care and which can be safely cared for in your own facility. This means potentially less travel for families, resulting in added convenience and cost savings.
Our specialized software allows us to help you monitor your patients, guide treatment, and develop a plan in cooperation with your local nurses and care providers. Following each patient encounter, the consulting physician will dictate a summary and provide it electronically to become part of the patient’s chart.
Brain Injuries Can Last a Lifetime
Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is characterized by clinical and laboratory evidence of acute or subacute brain injury due to asphyxia (hypoxia, acidosis). Most often, the exact timing and underlying cause remain unknown. Infants with low Apgar scores and acidosis should be evaluated for HIE.
If you suspect a newborn in your care may have a brain injury, consult the neonatal therapeutic hypothermia guidelines and contact a neonatologist at Kalispell Regional Medical Center for further consultation.
The neonatologists at Kalispell Regional Medical Center are always available, by phone or telemedicine, and ready to guide you in the care of your patient and/or arrange transport if appropriate.
Neonatal Therapeutic Hypothermia Guidelines
NICU admission guidelines
NICU admission guidelines
