St. Edward Mercy Welcomes Neonatologist

November 20, 2006 - St. Edward Mercy Medical Center announces the launch of their Newborn Intensive Care Unit with the arrival of Dr. Victor Coloso, MD, FAAP*, and Board Certified Neonatologist by the American Board of Pediatrics. Dr. Coloso was recruited to St. Edward Mercy to provide neonatology services and to serve as the Medical Director for Neonatolgy. Dr. Coloso has been in private practice in Martin County and Palm Beach, Florida. He completed his pediatrics residency at Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, New Jersey, and his neonatology fellowship at the University of Miami, Jackson Memorial Hospital.

This Newborn Intensive Care Unit is the only one of its kind in the River Valley. “Dr. Coloso brings a wealth of experience and the expertise needed to provide the highest quality of care for at-risk newborns. We are thrilled that he has decided to make Fort Smith his home,” said Jerry Stevenson, President/CEO.

The Newborn Intensive Care Unit resides within the Hennessy Nursery, located in the St. Edward Mercy Centers of Excellence. According to Dr. Larry Pearce, Vice President of Medical Affairs, “The Newborn Intensive Care Unit will allow St. Edward Mercy to provide specialized services to infants in need of critical care. Families, especially mothers and their newborns, will be able to stay together to receive the care they need.”

St. Edward Mercy’s Newborn Intensive Unit will dramatically decrease the number of newborns that must be transferred to distant facilities for treatment. With the arrival of Dr. Coloso, only babies with severe respiratory distress or heart problems or those requiring surgical intervention will require transfer to another institution. All others will be able to receive the care they need right here at home.

In preparation for the arrival of Dr. Coloso and the Newborn Intensive Care Unit, St. Edward Mercy has invested in new equipment, additional staff, and specialized training.

Stevenson notes, “St. Edward Mercy is committed to providing the highest quality medical care for our community. Offering this valuable and long awaited service is just one more way we can demonstrate this commitment.”

*The FAAP designation stands for Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Pediatricians who maintain their FAAP designation have obtained board certification in pediatrics and made an ongoing commitment to lifelong learning and advocacy for children.