CHOP at Virtua Patient Story - Alex
Since 6 months old, Alex had experienced quite a few chest colds. By the age of two, his parents Abbey and Brian had become pros at nursing their baby boy back to health in the comfort of their home.But in May 2013, Abbey, Brian and little Alex ended up at the pediatrician’s office. “After a long night with coughing and a high fever, we knew he needed medical attention,” says Abbey.
The pediatrician ordered a chest x-ray for Alex, and this time, Abbey and Brian chose Virtua. “I didn’t even know that Virtua offered dedicated pediatric emergency services, so we ended up in the adult ER,” says Abbey.
A triage nurse quickly took Abbey and Alex into the Virtua Mount Holly Pediatric Pavilion, the only place in Burlington County where children can see pediatricians around the clock. The Pavilion houses both pediatric emergency and inpatient services in one unit that’s staffed by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia pediatricians and Virtua pediatric nurses.
“Everyone was absolutely wonderful,” says Abbey. “I appreciated the time the doctors and nurses spent building a rapport with my son. Taking just a few minutes to joke around with Alex put him at ease, even when he was not feeling his best.”
At Virtua, the staff practices family-centered care and Abbey, Brian and Alex experienced it first-hand. “I really liked that the staff allowed me to hold Alex’s hands while undergoing the x-ray. This really helped him through the procedure.”
And not only did the staff look after Alex, but they looked after the family too. “I was very impressed by the caring staff. They made accommodations for me to breastfeed my 5-week old infant, offered us food and drinks, and really made us feel comfortable,” says Abbey.
And while Abbey hopes not to spend another Saturday morning in the hospital, she is glad that - if the need should arise - Virtua is there. Abbey says: “Growing up a bit north of Burlington County, I was not aware of Virtua's pediatric services. But after my experience at Virtua, I would definitely go back and refer Virtua to all my family, friends and neighbors.”
Caption: Alex, 2, is accompanied by his father to undergo an x-ray while at Virtua Mount Holly’s Pediatric Pavilion, the only place in Burlington County with pediatricians on staff 24/7.
Updated March 15, 2022
