Ronald McDonald® Children's Hospital

Pediatric critical care specialists provide intensive care for sick children requiring a range of care from close monitoring to advanced life support. This specialty supervises the multidisciplinary Pediatric Critical Care Unit (PCCU), recognized by the Illinois Department of Public Health as a Certified Pediatric Critical Care Center for Excellence.

A team of full-time, board-certified pediatric intensivists (intensive care specialists) work together with pediatric medical and surgical specialists, specially trained nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, dieticians and occupational and physical therapists to provide care for critically ill children. A senior resident physician is in the unit 24 hours a day and works under the close supervision of a pediatric intensivist.

In addition to its medical capabilities, the PCCU treats the human spirit of our patients and their families. Dedicated social workers and a child-life specialist are trained to cope with the special needs of a hospitalized child and help ease the child’s anxiety. In keeping with Loyola University Health System’s (Loyola) Jesuit tradition, chaplain services are available at all times.

Specialty Services

Telemedicine Services

Our telemedicine program is the first of its kind in the State of Illinois. When not in house, intensivists can immediately connect over a secure audio-visual connection. This technology is used to evaluate patients, talk to the bedside team and families to ensure that the best decisions are being made for critically ill children.

Our intensivists lead the PARTNERS pediatric rapid response team. This team responds to concerns from nurses, doctors and families on the pediatric inpatient units to bring immediate evaluation and assistance. Our research has shown that this program provides immediate management assistance and saves lives, with improved outcomes in high risk patients.

Critical Care Transport
Our One-Call transfer center assists in bringing a ground or aeromedical Critical Care Transport Team to a patient’s bedside, no matter where they are located. Teams are standing by 24 hours a day to assist in the transport of critically ill children from outlying hospitals. If you are a physician who needs to arrange transport to the Pediatric Critical Care Unit, call (800) 888-LUMC 24 hours a day. The call center will connect you immediately to attending physicians who can provide immediate management advice and accept your patient. The call center will also take care of all the details to arrange the transfer and admit the patient.

Every center that refers a patient will also receive a personalized letter from our attending staff with an update on the patient’s progress. A dedicated transport director is available to answer questions, provide detailed follow up and help streamline processes to meet the needs of physicians and patients requiring critical care services.

Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery Services

Loyola has a full time cardiovascular surgeon who performs life-saving procedures on patients with congenital heart disease.

Pediatric Trauma Services

Loyola University Medical Center is a certified Level 1 Trauma Center. Critically injured children receive care in the PCCU under the direction of board-certified trauma surgeons and their teams, working together with the pediatric intensivists.