Children's Hospital New Orleans Opens New, Comprehensive Surgery Center, as Part of the Hospital's $300 Million Campus Transformation.

The new, 57,000 square foot Surgery Center at Children’s Hospital New Orleans supports growth of specialized pediatric perioperative services in a state-of-the-art environment that combines the latest technology with an unmatched experience for patients and families.

NEW ORLEANS – Today, Children’s Hospital New Orleans celebrates the opening of its all new, expanded Surgery Center, serving patients from across Louisiana and the Gulf South in a child-friendly environment that integrates each phase of the surgical experience.

“The new Surgery Center at Children’s Hospital is an extraordinary space that now matches the level of care provided by our expert team of pediatric surgeons, anesthesiologists, nursing and other perioperative services team members,” says John R. Nickens IV, President and Chief Executive Officer at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. “What we have built for the children of Louisiana is transformational.”

The Surgery Center includes a spacious lobby and waiting area for families on the second floor of the new Medical Tower, leading to a 23-bed Same Day Surgery Unit with all-private patient rooms, which will expand to 42 patient rooms at the completion of phase two of the expansion next spring. Two private consultation rooms bridge the unit and OR to allow for quick consults between physicians and parents.

A spacious 17-bay Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) is located directly next to the Same Day Surgery Unit with easy access for families immediately before and after the child’s surgery. The PACU will gain an additional seven bays in phase two of the project.

“The design of the new Surgery Center allows us to keep the family, care team, and patient close at all times,” says Jamie Wiggins, DNS(c), RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer. “Families come across the skybridge and enter right into the surgical reception area. They will now experience check-in, the pre-operative process, surgery, and recovery all in the same location.”

The center features 12 expansive Operating Rooms (ORs), including an OR dedicated to the Da Vinci robot, two cardiac catheterization labs, and two special procedure suites for endoscopy and bronchoscopy. The ORs surround a large Sterile Core with direct access to Sterile Processing and Central Sterile supply.

The ORs are equipped with the latest technology and data integration capabilities, including customizable GE Carescape patient monitors, outfitted with innovative anesthesia and post anesthesia software, and measurement capabilities. The monitors help optimize patient care and throughput while supporting clinical decisions, enhanced outcomes, and continuous monitoring at every step of the perioperative journey.

Advanced data integration technology allows surgeons and other members of the care team to manage information, visualization, and communication to and from the OR, and across the hospital. The ORs also feature 4K surgical video installations, which help surgeons see anatomical features in unprecedented detail. The ORs also feature Skytron Stellar XL LED surgical lights and Ergon series booms, creating highly maneuverable platforms with bright, clear illumination in a system that that is safe and reliable, with the versatility to handle the most complex pediatric procedures.

“I’ve seen a lot of operating rooms and I can say with confidence, that the facilities here at Children’s Hospital New Orleans are as nice, as well-organized, as spacious, and as technologically advanced as you’ll find anywhere,” says Ellis Arjmand, MD, MMM, PhD, Surgeon in Chief at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. “What our team has built here in New Orleans advances care for children and families across Louisiana and the Gulf South.”

The Surgery Center also includes a new, 6,000 square foot Sterile Processing department located directly adjacent to the operating rooms. A designated ‘dirty’ elevator brings soiled instrument carts directly to decontamination from surgery. A linear three-zone design includes decontamination, clean assembly, and sterile storage. State-of-the-art equipment provides high level thermal disinfection and greatly increases efficiency. Clean case carts then travel to the Sterile Core by a designated ‘clean’ elevator for staging.

“From minor surgical procedures to the most complex cases including congenital heart surgery and minimally invasive neurosurgery, the new Surgery Center will allow us to operate in an optimal environment that creates seamless integration between our departments, along with an unmatched experience for our patients and families,” says Evelyn Freiberg, E-MSHCM, BSN, RN, Senior Director of Patient Care Services at Children’s Hospital New Orleans.

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About Children’s Hospital New Orleans

Children’s Hospital New Orleans is a 229-bed, non-profit academic pediatric medical center that offers comprehensive healthcare services, including over 40 pediatric specialties, delivered just for children. With more than 400 physicians trained in more than 40 pediatric subspecialties, Children’s offers a comprehensive array of pediatric healthcare services in Louisiana and the Gulf South. In addition to its main campus located in New Orleans, the hospital operates a network of specialty clinics across Louisiana and in Southern Mississippi, including in Covington, Baton Rouge, and Lafayette. Children’s Hospital offers primary care services at 15 convenient locations throughout Southeast Louisiana and remotely via its Virtual Care app. Children’s Hospital is a proud member of LCMC Health, a Louisiana-based, not-for-profit hospital system which also includes New Orleans East Hospital, Touro, University Medical Center New Orleans and West Jefferson Medical Center. Learn more at chnola.org.