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November 13, 2023

2023 Healthcare Hero: Connecticut Children’s

Connecticut Children’s  Team Leader: Jim Shmerling, President & CEO Team Members: Bob Duncan, Executive Vice President & COO; Monica M. Buchanan, Sr. Director of Enterprise & Strategic Communications; Dianna Pategas, VP Stewardship & Donor Relations; Tower Expansion leadership Karri May, Sr. Director of Facilities Return to the honorees homepage
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Winner Category | Corporate Achievement - Innovation

Connecticut Children’s is the only health system in Connecticut 100-percent dedicated to kids, offering care across more than 30 pediatric specialties in 40-plus locations throughout Connecticut, western New York and western Massachusetts.

What’s the organization’s major accomplishment in the past year?

Connecticut Children’s team members, patient families and leaders gathered for a superhero-themed groundbreaking ceremony this year to celebrate the launch of the next phase of the health system’s growth, which will include construction of a $326 million, 190,000-square-foot clinical tower connected to the existing medical center in Hartford.

Completion is scheduled for late 2025.

The clinical tower will include two floors with 50 private, neonatal intensive care rooms, a fetal care center, two dedicated operating rooms and an advanced gene therapy unit, where bone marrow transplants and liquid radiation treatments can be performed, and a 14-bed acuity adaptable unit to accommodate any level of patient acuity.

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What’s the organization’s next major goal and/or challenge?

The team’s next major goal is to ensure that all children have access to Connecticut Children’s specialists at the right time, in the right place, and close to home. This goal drives our growth and diversification of our portfolio, as we are the only health system in the state entirely dedicated to children’s health.

What major challenges did the organization have to overcome?

Engaging our hybrid workforce during the groundbreaking event for the new tower was challenging. The organization made history by broadcasting the event via Zoom to all 41 locations, making it accessible to team members at home.

The team found ways to keep everyone engaged, including video interviews with construction workers and a tower crane naming contest.

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