CoxHealth and St. Louis Children's Hospital have finalized an agreement to expand pediatric care in southwest Missouri.
The agreement, signed Thursday, comes after a letter of intent in May 2024.
CoxHealth and St. Louis Children's Hospital, with the support and expertise of pediatric specialists at Washington University School of Medicine, will work together to bring specialized pediatric and surgical care to the region.
A standalone, dedicated pediatric outpatient center is planned at 851 E. Primrose near Cox South. The center, with ambulatory and specialty pediatric clinics, will allow families to stay close to home rather than travelling long distances to seek care. Opening is expected in 2027.
The region's pediatric specialty and NICU inpatient care will be enhanced through closer collaboration with WashU Medicine clinicians and St. Louis Children's Hospital, according to CoxHealth.
And WashU will recruit and retain pediatric specialists to serve children in southwest Missouri.
CoxHealth sought input last fall through meetings and public listening sessions to better understand the needs and challenges of families seeking specialty pediatric care, according to the healthcare system, and the message it received was that the area needs and deserves comprehensive pediatric care.
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