With equipment purchased through a grant from The Superhero Project Inc. to the Deborah F. Sager...
Vineland, NJ – Inspira Health is advancing the standard of neonatal care in South Jersey with the introduction of a whole-body cooling program, the only treatment available for newborns with neurological injury related to reduced blood-oxygen levels. The new treatment, now at Inspira Medical Center Vineland, was made possible through the generosity of donors to the Deborah F. Sager Memorial Fund (DFSMF) and partnerships with several philanthropic organizations, including the Superhero Project, Inc., the Esther & Pedro Rosenblatt Foundation and the Wawa Foundation.
To provide this advanced level of care and keep more babies in the community, the NICU team utilizes state-of-the-art whole-body cooling equipment, aEEG brain monitoring technology, and a new MRI-safe neonatal ventilator. Together, these technologies support healing, and allow clinicians to closely monitor brain activity and obtain detailed brain images that help guide treatment decisions. The DFSMF supported the purchase of these technologies, including the brain monitoring equipment that was the final component needed to support a comprehensive whole-body cooling program.
When placed on a baby’s head, the aEEG device fits like a soft hat and provides continuous, real-time assessment of brain function in critically ill newborns, alerting the care team of any seizure activity that might occur. Timely detection and intervention can significantly improve long-term outcomes for these babies. The Deborah F. Sager NICU is among the first in the region to acquire this type of aEEG technology, which is less invasive than other systems that require the placement of needles on the baby’s scalp.
"The value of being able to perform brain monitoring here in our NICU is twofold," explained Teresa Veneziano, chief nursing officer for Inspira Health. "First, it allows our neonatologists and specially trained nurses to carefully observe brain activity and respond rapidly if any seizure activity occurs. It also keeps more babies in the community, which promotes family bonding and allows the same care team to be with our babies from birth until they are ready to go home."
Historically, access to this level of neonatal care has been limited in South Jersey, often requiring transfers outside the community during the earliest days of a newborn’s life. And for families with limited access to transportation, a transfer to a hospital 20, 30 or more miles away can create a significant barrier to spending time with their newborns.
The launching of a whole-body cooling program demonstrates the critical role philanthropy plays in bringing leading-edge care to South Jersey. According to Veneziano, these recent purchases are part of a broader donor-supported initiative to further elevate neonatal capabilities at Inspira. Since the NICU opened in 2012, the DFSMF has provided more than $1 million in support for neonatal and pediatric services at Inspira Health.
“This is about building a more comprehensive, connected model of care for some of our most critically ill newborns. With our whole-body cooling program, we are improving access and ensuring that every child in our region has the opportunity for a healthier start,” said Ashish Gupta, M.D., FAAP, MBA, CPE, Chief Partnerships Officer, Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware Valley.
“This advancement represents an important evolution in how we care for our most fragile patients,” said Christl Dooley, Assistant Vice President of Maternal Child Health for Inspira Health. “By integrating advanced neurological monitoring into our NICU, we are enhancing our ability to detect, respond, and deliver highly specialized care in real time, which ultimately can improve outcomes for newborns and families across our region. We are so grateful for the support of our community and our philanthropic partners.”
The Deborah F. Sager NICU, in partnership with Nemours Children’s Health, provides comprehensive, family-centered care for newborns requiring specialized medical care. With the addition of a whole-body cooling program, Inspira continues to advance its mission of improving health outcomes and expanding access to care across South Jersey.
