OLEAN, NY – It’s been over three years since Olean General Hospital (OGH), one of two hospital campuses that comprise Upper Allegheny Health System (UAHS), has allowed admissions of pediatric patients in the hospital. Due to the effects of the pandemic, OGH interrupted the admissions process for patients less than 18 years of age which were typically transferred to specialized hospitals for a higher level of care.

OGH has begun accepting hospital admissions of patients who are at least one year old. The change in policy took effect on Tuesday, September 12.

Separate from other inpatients, children less than 18 years old will have designated rooms that accommodate their needs as well as provide a safe, clean environment for an inpatient stay. OGH will now accept pediatric patients for inpatient care that have low-level diagnoses which include, but are not limited to, gastroenteritis, dehydration, RSV, croup, asthma, pneumonia, bronchiolitis, and rotavirus.

“We’ve been preparing for our pediatric services to reopen for quite some time. A lot of training, education, reviewing policies, and involvement from all facets of the organization went into the groundwork to accommodate our pediatric patients,” said Jennifer Ruggles, chief nursing officer, UAHS. “I know our team has done everything to fortify their knowledge and skills to provide our pediatric patients with the highest quality of care.”

Clinical staff were provided with education and hands-on training from the clinical education department, which included mock codes and training with Broselow code carts. To reinstate pediatric admissions, other non-clinical staff were heavily involved in the process to ensure OGH could provide excellent care. These departments supported efforts through procurement of additional resources as well as creating a nutritional children’s menu offered by the food & nutrition services department.

“Our team is committed to providing comprehensive quality care to our local communities. By opening pediatric admissions, we want to provide families with a trusted healthcare option that is close to home for those low-level diagnoses. Through our affiliation with Kaleida Health, we’ve received valuable support and resources from the team at John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital that will allow us to provide the necessary care for our community,” added Ruggles.

Photo Caption: Inpatient rooms have been updated to accommodate pediatric admissions which has recently reopened at Olean General Hospital.