The highly-skilled and experienced medical staff of NorthEast Pediatric Hospitalists realize that children are not just small adults. They do not always say what is bothering them. They cannot always answer medical questions or be patient and helpful while in the hospital. NorthEast Pediatric Hospitalists work with your pediatrician and other specialists to care for your child in a way that is comfortable and reassuring. If your pediatrician suggests that your child receive care from a pediatric hospitalist, you can be assured that your child will receive the same high-quality care provided by your pediatrician while in the hospital - and after he or she is discharged home.

Pediatric hospitalists usually do not have an outpatient medical practice. Having pediatric hospitalists on staff enables your primary care physician to focus on seeing patients in the office with fewer delays and interruptions. This allows your child's physician more time to devote to him or her in the office, and to keeping your child healthy.

The pediatric hospitalist is a physician who specializes in the care of hospitalized children. When your child is admitted to the hospital, his or her physician calls the pediatric hospitalist with information about your child's condition and sends his or her medical records. The pediatric hospitalist calls your child's doctor to discuss their condition and treatment plan prior to admission and oversees your child's care in the hospital. They will assist you and your child through a smooth recovery process by following up on tests, adjusting treatment needs, and coordinating discharge. They will meet with parents, direct nursing care, and at times provide general pediatric advice and consultation to specialists such as pediatric surgeons, pediatric neurologists, and pediatric endocrinologists. The pediatric hospitalist will see your child daily and remain in close contact with his or her primary care physician.

If your child requires admission to the Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital, he or she will be cared for by one of the physicians on staff at NorthEast Pediatric Hospitalists. The pediatric hospitalist service at Carolinas Medical Center - NorthEast is an extension of the care provided to your child at our pediatric outpatient practices. Pediatric hospitalists provide service to you and your child's own physician. They care for children in many hospital areas, including the pediatric unit, labor and delivery, newborn nursery, emergency department, neonatal intensive care unit, and the pediatric intensive care unit. Pediatric hospitalists are medical doctors who have had at least four years of medical school and three years of pediatric residency training. At NorthEast Pediatric Hospitalists, all of our physicians are board- certified physicians with a special interest in caring for sick and hospitalized children.

The benefits of having a pediatric hospitalist care for your child are:

. Availability of physician care, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (including holidays)
. Hospital-based physicians who are constantly available to patients and their families for medical or needs
. More consistent care, eliminating the need for a different pediatrician on-call each day
. Familiarity with the hospital and specialists in department to ensure timely follow-up with tests and treatments
. Daily communication and information sharing all the physicians involved in your child's care
. Ability to care for children with a wide variety illnesses and medical needs who require hospital care. Such medical needs include:

o Infectious illnesses of the blood, skin, lungs, and kidneys
o Respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia and croup
o Problems with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and asthma
o Common pediatric illnesses such as influenza and dehydration
o Recovery from injuries or surgeries
o Care of newborns

Once your child leaves the Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital, care will be taken over by your regular pediatrician or family practice physician. The pediatric hospitalist discharging your child will be able to send you home with any needed prescriptions, give you instructions on how to care for your child at home, and arrange any needed follow-up appointments.

All of our pediatric hospitalists are Board Certified Pediatricians with a special interest in caring for the sick, hospitalized child. The Pediatric Hospitalists at CMC - NorthEast are:

Donald R. Black, MD (click for bio)	Manuel J. Caceres, MD (click for bio)	Amy Morgan, MD (click for bio)	Cynthia W. Barnhardt, FNP (click for bio)	Jennifer R. Tigner, PNP (click for bio)

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