Neonatal Intensive Care Unit NICU

Baptist Health Hardin’s Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit was the Baptist Health Foundation Hardin’s first project. Since 2015, the Foundation has raised more than $1 million to equip the NICU with the necessary resources to keep our youngest patients and families close to home.

More than 1,600 babies are born each year in the Baptist Health Hardin BirthPlace, many of them requiring specialized care that the Level II NICU now provides. Since the NICU became fully operational in 2015, more than 1,000 babies have received care. The six-bed NICU is regularly full and on average, babies stay for nearly 4 days.  Several babies who needed to be born in higher level NICU’s have returned to Baptist Health Hardin, closer to family, to complete their NICU stays.

Baptist Health Hardin NICU Medical Director and Neonatologist Dr. Bridget Hempel said minutes matter when it comes to providing care for vulnerable babies.

“Having access to the latest, state-of-the-art equipment means better and more comfortable care for NICU babies,” said Dr. Hempel. “A NICU close to home also keeps families together and that reduces stress and aides in overall care and patient experience.”