Syracuse, NY — Crouse Hospital is planning to start construction in the next year on an updated neonatal intensive care unit, one of several improvements paid for by a $113.6 million state grant announced Friday.
Crouse is known as the region’s busiest hospital for baby deliveries. Its neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) has 57 bassinets for premature and critically ill infants from a 14-county region spanning Central New York and the North Country.
The money will help expand the NICU’s capacity, but it was unclear Friday by how much.
Other improvements paid for by the state grant will be an expansion of outpatient services and an enhanced cardiac catheterization lab.
State health commissioner Dr. James McDonald toured Crouse as part of Friday’s announcement.
“As a pediatrician, I know what a modern NICU means for families in their most vulnerable moments,” he said in a news release.
The state’s investment is part of $2.6 billion set aside by the state legislature to help so-called safety net hospitals — those with at least 30% of patients who qualify for financial assistance.
The grant program requires hospitals like Crouse to partner with larger health organizations. In this case, Northwell Health — Downstate’s largest health care system — agreed to collaborate with Crouse on its projects.
Northwell and Crouse previously had a clinical affiliation. While that doesn’t exist anymore, the two have continued to work together, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Construction at Crouse is expected to start in the next 12 months, hospital CEO Dr. Seth Kronenberg told syracuse.com.
Staff writer Douglass Dowty can be reached at ddowty@syracuse.com or (315) 470-6070.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.