Tuft’s Children’s Hospital, a historic hospital for children in Boston that has been around for more than 125 years, is converting its pediatric inpatient beds to much-needed adult ICU and medical/surgical beds, the hospital announced Thursday.The change, which is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to become effective July 1, will allow the hospital to increase its capacity to care for critically ill adults at its Tufts Medical Center campus.The number of adult patients in need of highly specialized medical care at Tufts Medical Center has risen dramatically — so much so that the hospital is forced to turn away hundreds of patients each month, the hospital said. Wellforce approached Boston Children’s Hospital about a collaboration to ensure continuity of care for Tufts Children’s Hospital pediatric patients and for children and their families served by Wellforce providers in other communities. “As we look toward the future, we must make this difficult but crucial decision. I am confident that through this collaboration with Boston Children’s Hospital, we will best serve the long-term health needs and well-being of our patients, our families, our employees, our trainees and the communities Wellforce serves,” said Michael Tarnoff, MD, FACS, president and CEO of Tufts Medical Center.Tufts’s 40-bed, Level 3 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) will remain in operation. Tufts will also continue its pediatric primary care services, including the Pediatric and Adolescent Asian Clinic, an important resource for Chinatown residents. The Center for Children with Special Needs and New England Pediatric Care, a long-term care facility for children, will also remain.The facility, which was established as the Floating Hospital for Children in 1894, sailed into Boston Harbor aboard a hospital ship.”Floating Hospital started as a ship in Boston harbor, back in the day when doctors thought that sick kids needed the clean sea air to get better,” said Geoffrey Binney, MD, Pediatrician-in-Chief at Tufts Children’s Hospital.It moved to a larger ship in 1905 before that ship was destroyed by a fire in 1927.It reopened on land in 1931 and merged with Tufts Medical Center in 1965. The hospital moved its main operations to the Tufts Medical Center complex in 1982. Historic discoveries associated with the hospital include the first-ever artificial milk product, today known as Similac, which was created in 1919. The first human growth hormone was discovered in 1958. The hospital changed its name to Tufts Children’s Hospital in September 2020.
Tuft’s Children’s Hospital, a historic hospital for children in Boston that has been around for more than 125 years, is converting its pediatric inpatient beds to much-needed adult ICU and medical/surgical beds, the hospital announced Thursday.
The change, which is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to become effective July 1, will allow the hospital to increase its capacity to care for critically ill adults at its Tufts Medical Center campus.
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The number of adult patients in need of highly specialized medical care at Tufts Medical Center has risen dramatically — so much so that the hospital is forced to turn away hundreds of patients each month, the hospital said.
Wellforce approached Boston Children’s Hospital about a collaboration to ensure continuity of care for Tufts Children’s Hospital pediatric patients and for children and their families served by Wellforce providers in other communities.
“As we look toward the future, we must make this difficult but crucial decision. I am confident that through this collaboration with Boston Children’s Hospital, we will best serve the long-term health needs and well-being of our patients, our families, our employees, our trainees and the communities Wellforce serves,” said Michael Tarnoff, MD, FACS, president and CEO of Tufts Medical Center.
Tufts’s 40-bed, Level 3 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) will remain in operation. Tufts will also continue its pediatric primary care services, including the Pediatric and Adolescent Asian Clinic, an important resource for Chinatown residents. The Center for Children with Special Needs and New England Pediatric Care, a long-term care facility for children, will also remain.
The facility, which was established as the Floating Hospital for Children in 1894, sailed into Boston Harbor aboard a hospital ship.
“Floating Hospital started as a ship in Boston harbor, back in the day when doctors thought that sick kids needed the clean sea air to get better,” said Geoffrey Binney, MD, Pediatrician-in-Chief at Tufts Children’s Hospital.
It moved to a larger ship in 1905 before that ship was destroyed by a fire in 1927.
It reopened on land in 1931 and merged with Tufts Medical Center in 1965. The hospital moved its main operations to the Tufts Medical Center complex in 1982.
Historic discoveries associated with the hospital include the first-ever artificial milk product, today known as Similac, which was created in 1919. The first human growth hormone was discovered in 1958.
The hospital changed its name to Tufts Children’s Hospital in September 2020.