New Partnership to Enhance Pediatric and Neonatal Care in Laramie

This collaboration means local babies, kids and their families will be able to access care from pediatric specialists from one of the nation’s leading pediatric hospitals close to home.

“Children’s Colorado is ranked number one in the region for pediatric care, and their expertise is going to make a tremendous impact on families in our community,” said Doug Faus, Ivinson Chief Executive Officer. ​“This Care Alliance should give parents the peace of mind of knowing their children are receiving the highest level of care from top-trained experts in newborn and pediatric care in the comfort of their community hospital.”

Children’s Colorado has a history of partnering with local healthcare entities to provide child health expertise in the Laramie community. Examples of this are pediatric cardiology clinics as well as maternal fetal medicine telehealth clinics and fetal cardiology clinics, held locally with the goal of keeping moms, kids and families in their community and close to home for specialized healthcare. 

The newest addition to the collaboration between Ivinson and Children’s Colorado is the introduction of neonatal nurse practitioners (NNPs) to the Ivinson nursery and pediatric units. Children’s Colorado NNPs will provide inpatient care ²⁴⁄₇ for newborns and pediatric patients under the age of 2. Children’s Colorado NNPs are highly specialized, advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) trained at the master’s or doctorate level and board-certified by the National Certification Corporation. The Children’s Colorado team of over 100 NNPs provide dedicated care to thousands of newborns annually and collaborate with attending neonatologists and specialists throughout the Children’s Colorado system, as well as pediatricians, family medicine doctors and neonatologists in community hospital settings across the region to ensure exceptional care for children. Ivinson will have a dedicated team of NNPs at the hospital. Those NNPs will also rotate to higher acuity neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) across the region, including Children’s Colorado’s level IV NICU on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colo. This model ensures the highly skilled NNPs caring for patients at Ivinson Memorial are always up to date with the latest care protocols.

Along with the introduction of NNPs, Ivinson providers and staff will have access to education to inform the best care for kids in Laramie.

“Our Care Alliance with Ivinson solidifies a long-standing history of collaboration between our organizations,” said Jennifer Knotts, Children’s Colorado Vice President of Partnerships and Business Development. ​“The introduction of NNPs to Ivinson demonstrates their commitment to providing the best care for their smallest patients. As our first Children’s Colorado NNP site in Wyoming, we are thrilled to be partnering with Ivinson to bring pediatric specialty expertise closer to home for children.”

“The level of newborn and pediatric care provided by Children’s Colorado is unparalleled. Being able to offer specialized neonatal care at Ivinson is monumental for our facility and the patients we treat,” said Mary Ponce, Ivinson Chief Nursing Officer. ​“By working hand-in-hand with our pediatricians, family medicine physicians and pediatric care staff, our partnership with Children’s Colorado will elevate the education, training, coordination and overall care we provide at Ivinson.”