If you’re a parent of a child with special health needs, that often means multiple trips to different doctors around the state. But the new RWJBarnabas Health at East Brunswick facility has made it easier for parents and caregivers. This facility includes nationally ranked pediatric orthopedic services from The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, in addition to a new Children’s Specialized Hospital (CSH) location and has an impressive roster along with other pediatric specialties and women’s services soon to be added under one roof. Here, parents can conveniently access pediatric orthopedics, physical and occupational therapy, neurology, behavioral and developmental services, and cutting-edge technology, saving them the stress of traveling and finding services and practitioners for their child. NJMOM got an inside look at what this state-of-the-art, 52,000-square-foot center offers for NJMOMs and their families.
New facility RWJBarnabas Health at East Brunswick makes things easier for NJMOMs
The main goal behind this new medical destination is to offer high quality, expert care for children with special health needs. The new facility, located at 645 NJ-18 in East Brunswick, provides infants through adolescents with innovative, expert care as it relates to bone and muscular conditions, chronic illnesses, and complex physical disabilities, as well as developmental, behavioral and mental health concerns. The pediatric orthopedic center offers orthopedic care for children with spinal deformities, inflammatory and infectious problems, fractures and sports-related injuries while Children’s Specialized Hospital offers a wide range of medical and rehabilitative services including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech language therapy, developmental behavioral pediatrics, physiatry and more.
NJMOM Genesis Jimenez’s daughter Nyla was born with a brain condition called lissencephaly, which means she has regular appointments for physical therapy, occupational therapy, and feeding therapy. “The amount of progress she has made through PT and OT has been so amazing,” Genesis says. “We’ve become close with everyone from the security guard to the ladies working at the front desk. They’re like our second family.”
Twins Arianna and Adrianna Aguilar were born at 27 weeks with cerebral palsy. Each of the girls has varying medical needs, which have included surgeries and ongoing therapies. Mom Diana Pinta says the cooperation and continual care in one place gives her peace of mind as a mom, particularly through her daughter’s recent hand surgery. “The occupational therapist from Children’s Specialized and Dr. Deidre Bielicka from RWJBH Medical Group Pediatric Orthopedics always work together. So, when she comes off the cast, the occupational therapist is there to make a splint in its place and to start the rehab part, while Dr. Bielicka keeps an eye to make sure the surgery went well and everything is healing nicely,” Diana says.
Cutting-edge technology meets personalized care at RWJBarnabas Health at East Brunswick facility
For NJMOMs like Genesis and Diana, having specialists at one location is certainly convenient, but it’s about more than that. It’s knowing that they have a place like this that is close and offers the highest level of care and technology. One example is the EOSedge, which is a precise, low dose imaging system that delivers full body, high-quality images covering the full set of musculoskeletal and orthopedic exams and produces 70 percent less radiation, which greatly benefits children who repeatedly need scans due to their ongoing conditions. “It also makes images clearer and diagnosis a bit easier,” Dr. Andrew Bowe, Medical Director, Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital adds. “It’s a wonderful machine, and I’m excited to have it in our new facility. We’re thrilled to welcome new and familiar families at East Brunswick and to continue providing the highest-quality orthopedic care in the neighborhood.”
But the biggest benefit by far is the ability for physicians to work together to treat each child as a whole, with increased collaboration that comes with being together in one place.
“There are nearly 250,000 children living with a unique healthcare challenge across New Jersey. This facility will offer them a comprehensive range of services focused on their individual needs and will provide children and families in the region a supportive environment to receive expert, family-centered care,” said Matthew B. McDonald III, MD, President and CEO of Children’s Specialized Hospital. “Sharing this space with our RWJBarnabas Health system partners not only allows us to enhance availability to our specialized services for those who need us but also provides local families with access to a variety of medical services in one convenient location.”
For Genesis, being a mom to a child with extensive health care needs is a learning process, but she says it’s one that has made it less intimidating with the care Nyla has gotten here. “They’ve all taught me so much. She’s done a lot, and I’m really happy for her. Keep fighting for your kids. It’s worth it.”
Additional pediatric services in partnership with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School will also be added to the facility, including endocrinology, genetics, pulmonology, and neurology. Early this spring, women will also have access to comprehensive breast health services with the opening of the RWJBarnabas Health/Rutgers Cancer Institute Breast Center and New Jersey Imaging Network. JAG Physical therapy for adults is also slated to open in the near future.
RWJBarnabas Health’s (RWJBH) children’s hospitals were named among the nation’s Best Children’s Hospitals for 2023–2024 by U.S. News & World Report. The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital (BMSCH) at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital ranked #34 nationally for orthopedics and ranked #47 for urology.
For more information, visit rwjbh.org/childrenshealth.
