Hoops Family Children’s Hospital offers dedicated space for pediatric emergency patients

Seven new pediatric treatment rooms and lobby made possible by generous donation

(L-R): Jennifer Peters, RN, Manager of Emergency Department, Clinical Observation Unit and Outpatient Infusion at Cabell Huntington Hospital (CHH); Kristi Arrowood, executive director of Mountain Health Foundations; Dr. Eduardo Pino, medical director of Hoops Family Children's Hospital (HFCH) and chief medical information officer of Mountain Health Network; Melanie Akers, director of HFCH and The Maternity Center at CHH; and Shane Boggess, director of the Emergency Room and Critical Care Services at CHH.

Hoops Family Children's Hospital at Cabell Huntington Hospital, a member of Mountain Health Network, will now offer a dedicated lobby space and seven new treatment rooms for pediatric emergency patients from across the region. The pediatric emergency care expansion was made possible due to a generous donation from longtime Huntington resident and businessman Marshall T. Reynolds, who made the gift in honor of his father, Douglas E. Reynolds.

“Kids do not need to be crowded into a waiting room full of adults,” Reynolds said. “This space, dedicated in honor of my dad, represents his commitment to our community and his compassion for the health and well-being of our region’s youngest patients.”

The pediatric emergency room lobby is a newly renovated space designed to match the rest of the children’s hospital complete with colorful seating and an interactive gaming system called BEAM™, an award-winning installation that turns any physical space to an immersive and active environment for children older than age two.

Seven new pediatric patient treatment rooms were made possible due to a generous donation from longtime Huntington resident and businessman Marshall T. Reynolds, who made the gift in honor of his father, Douglas E. Reynolds.

The new children's emergency rooms are ready to accept patients, according to Ashley Litchfield, M.D., fellowship-trained and board-certified pediatric emergency care physician at HFCH and assistant professor at Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.

“We’ve designated pediatric-friendly rooms and a separate access hallway for our youngest patients. This is great news for families who find themselves at our emergency room with children and want to help alleviate the stress oftentimes associated with a hospital visit,” Dr. Litchfield said. “Our children’s physicians, who have expertise in more than a dozen specialties, will now be able to provide broader access to high-quality pediatric care in our region.”

Melanie Akers, director at HFCH, said she is grateful for donors like Reynolds who are passionate about helping our region’s pediatric patients by giving back to the children’s hospital through Mountain Health Foundations.

“In addition to the new pediatric emergency care offerings, we are in the process of renovating our Neonatal Therapeutic Unit, which wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of those in our community,” Akers said. “The future is bright at Hoops Family Children’s Hospital.”