NICU Family Reunion Block Party:
Dr. Sheldon B. Korones, founder of Regional One Health’s NICU
In the 1960s, neonatology was a new specialty that found a number of pediatricians devoting themselves to improving outcomes for critically ill and low birth weight newborns.
In July of 1968, a true pioneer in the field of neonatology founded what would become his namesake – the Sheldon B. Korones Newborn Center. This year marks the 50th birthday of the Newborn Center, or neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Regional One Health. Dr. Sheldon B. Korones was in private practice in Memphis in 1968 when he decided to devote his practice to the care of critically ill infants. He was one of the first neonatologists in the United States to bring specially trained social workers and perinatal workers together to help the whole family cope with the challenges that result for a premature or critically ill newborn. The Newborn Center credits its success to a multidisciplinary approach to caring for patients, a legacy that has continued today under the leadership of Dr. Ramasubbareddy Dhanireddy.
Only the second medical director of the Newborn Center, Dr. Dhanireddy joined Regional One Health in 2005 when Dr. Korones retired.
Dr. Dhanireddy with a patient in the Sheldon B. Korones Newborn Center
“In the early days of neonatal intensive care, if a baby was born weighing two pounds, we would place them in the bed and call a priest. There was little to be done for them,” remembered Dr. Dhanireddy. “But not today. Today that baby born at 2 pounds has a 95 percent chance of survival.”
Technology advances, quality improvement initiatives and the passionate care of the entire NICU team makes success stories more the norm than the exception these days. The Newborn Center team includes physicians, nurses, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, social workers and other perinatal specialists. In recent years, they have taken on new quality initiatives to continue the mission of reducing infant mortality rates and have earned recognition from the Vermont Oxford Network, a group of more than 850 neonatal ICUs from around the word. Many of our patient success stories will be shared in the coming months on this page and on social media.
Our NICU Stories
NICU finds innovative way to facilitate skin-to-skin care, helping families improve their baby’s health and get home sooner
Skin-to-skin care helps newborn babies in many ways - brain development, regulating heart rate and body temperature, and bonding with their caregivers. When a baby needs to be in the NICU, skin-to-skin care is especially [...]
With crochet hooks, yarn, and a heart full of love, Debbie Sandidge helps NICU families celebrate their babies’ firsts
Debbie Sandidge has loved to crochet since her mom taught her years ago - and the chance to put her hobby to work for a good cause is the best of both worlds! Debbie collaborates [...]
“He’s getting the best care right here:” Despite being far from home, the Jones family says Regional One Health’s NICU is exactly where they need to be
When Brooklyn Jones went into premature labor, she and husband Grant learned the NICU closest to their home would not have room for their son. They ended up traveling two hours to Regional One [...]
“Everyone can save a life:” Regional One Health looks to prevent tragedy by teaching infant sleep safety
September is Baby Safety Month, and Regional One Health is here to help educate new caregivers on how to keep their infant safe. Our Safe to Sleep initiative focuses on preventing Sudden Infant Death [...]
