Approximately 95 percent of infants discharged from Naval Medical Center Portsmouth's nursery will require a follow up appointment within two to three days. To meet the demands, NMCP opened the upgraded Newborn Care Clinic, April 7, with a ceremony that included a ribbon cutting and a cake cutting.

The clinic will provide newborn and families with high-quality, state-of-the-art care in a private, professional and comfortable setting.

Newborns will receive all of the normal comprehensive care including a routine check-up of weight, ensuring the child is eating, and looking for signs of jaundice.

The demand for a clinic came because of newborns who require follow-ups and were being seen at the medical center's pediatric clinic. These infants who had yet to be enrolled in TRICARE required a large number of appointment slots.

"Our staff provides care for the Navy's busiest newborn nursery," said Cmdr. Brian Feldman, chairman, Department of Pediatrics. "We have more than 300 deliveries per month. By offering a 7-day-a-week nursery, we can provide follow-up care in the clinic for unenrolled newborns."

According to Capt. Anthony Delgado, pediatrician, the level of expertise of the clinic staff is unparalleled.

"The providers have seen it, explored it and know what they are doing," Delgado said. "The kids that come here get the best care possibly anywhere in Hampton Roads."

According to Feldman, NMCP has the lowest readmission rate of all newborns in military medicine. He contributes part of the success to being co-located with inpatient teams and specialists.

"We offer access to support resources throughout the medical center which has fostered changes that include improving breastfeeding rates from 38 to almost 70 percent," Feldman said.

Capt. Darin Via, commanding officer, offered his words of encouragement for the staff.

"Value is one of our strategic objectives and you all are certainly increasing the value of care," Via said. "These are the most precious patients that we care for."

For more news from Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, visit http://www.navy.mil/.