Greetings,

It's hard to believe another summer has gone by us. As fall approaches, we are pleased to inform you about the exciting research and accolades our University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital team is celebrating.

UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital celebrated the opening of the new technically advanced neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), which will set the standard in neonatology and push the field ahead 10 to 20 years. The $25 million Quentin & Elisabeth Alexander NICU provides 38 beds in a homelike setting that masks the technology installed to treat critically ill preemies. There is space for parents at the bedside of every infant, and new diagnostic capabilities allow many tests and procedures to be performed bedside.

UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital also is celebrating its ranking as second in the nation for care of newborns by U.S.News & World Report. UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital also ranked among the top 30 children's hospitals in the country in eight out of 10 medical specialties, including cancer (#30), diabetes and endocrine disorders (#13), digestive disorders (#25), kidney disorders (#19), neurology and neurosurgery (#18), orthopaedics (#13) and respiratory disorders (#10). We are pleased and proud to be ranked so highly among our peer pediatric institutions.

The Department of Pediatrics of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine at UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital ranked third overall in NIH awards to pediatric departments of medical schools in 2008 ($24.2 million), and eighth overall when funding to children's hospitals and medical schools are taken together. Faculty at UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital and Case Western Reserve University are participating in research in basic sciences, translational and clinical research on a variety of diseases and conditions afflicting children.

UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital has been reverified as Northeast Ohio's only Level I pediatric trauma center by the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons. This achievement recognizes the trauma center's dedication to providing outstanding care for injured children. Last year our pediatric emergency department treated about 26,000 children – 5,000 of whom came to us with serious injuries. UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital also was recently ranked ninth in the nation in emergency and trauma care by Parents Magazine.

The congenital cardiac surgery service provides internationally recognized expertise for the surgical treatment of heart defects. Last year we recruited Ross Ungerleider, MD, to head this program and create a collaborative effort across multiple disciplines to care for children with congenital heart disease and those who present as young adults who need further surgery.

Another recruit is Jonathan H. Ross, MD, who was appointed Chief of the Division of Pediatric Urology. Dr. Ross places a strong emphasis on collaborative care of children with complex problems. He is leading a team making cutting edge minimally invasive surgical therapies available and accessible for patients. UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital's Center for Minimally Invasive Pediatric Surgery is educating physician in these pioneering surgical therapies on a global level through virtual web symposiums, bringing the latest techniques and research right to a surgeon's own desktop.

The Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology is elevating its national reputation as a leader in the field by installing a new team of specialists to treat pediatric cancer patients. Recruits including Duncan Stearns, MD, who will focus on treating patients with brain tumors; Joseph Matloub, MD, who will focus on the pediatric leukemia program; Rachel Egler, MD, who will enhance programmatic efforts for patients with solid tumors, as well as increasing opportunities for clinical trials and research; Sanjay Ahuja, MD, is a expert in hemophilia and thrombosis; Alex Huang, MD, who is heading UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital's fellowship program and improving technology that will revolutionize the development of vaccines and immunotherapies for diseases; and Kenneth R. Cooke, MD, who is transforming the Pediatric Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation Program.

We value our partnership with colleagues from around the country and invite you to contact us any time with questions, comments or referrals. Thank you for your dedication to our patients. We look forward to seeing the results of current and future collaborations.

Sincerely,
Michael J. Farrell
President, UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital and University Hospitals MacDonald Women's Hospital