Rutland hospital dropping pediatric beds to focus on ER visits

Rutland Regional Medical Center recently announced a planned transition in how it delivers pediatric care.

The hospital will transition away from operating inpatient pediatric beds and focus on providing care in more appropriate settings, according to an announcement.

The change comes as the number of children requiring hospital stays longer than 24 hours has declined significantly in Rutland and across the nation, the press release said. Most young patients now receive care through emergency visits, outpatient clinics or short observation stays, according to the hospital.

Emergency department will continue to serve as cornerstone

Currently, the hospital has five licensed pediatric beds within its women’s and children’s unit. However, nearly two-thirds of pediatric patients go home wit