The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital recently opened its new Children’s Same Day Services center for young patients in New Brunswick.

BMSCH, part of the RWJBarnabas Health Children’s Health Network, said the new center is designed for patients who need regular, non-oncologic infusion therapies and light sedation procedures. 

A $2.5 million gift from the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation helped fund the location. The Bristol-Myers Squibb center features five private treatment rooms, including a dedicated sensory room. The spaces aim to create a calm environment for children undergoing treatments. 

The outpatient infusion center will serve children with acute and chronic pediatric conditions, including: 

• Gastrointestinal disorders, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease 
• Rheumatologic conditions, such as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis 
• Neurologic problems, such as multiple sclerosis 
• Antirejection therapy for kidney transplants as well as genetic, endocrine and blood disorders 

“These [conditions] require regimens delivered by a multi-disciplinary team that is focused on the child in terms of both comfort and safety,” Dr. Vikas Dharnidharka, physician-in-chief at BMSCH and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, said in a May 1 statement. 

Dharnidharka added, “The Children’s Same Day Services center will be staffed and supported by specialists who are highly trained in biologic and drug therapies delivered through infusion, alongside child life specialists who help decrease discomfort and stress using tools and distraction and coping techniques.” 

BMSCH also plans to conduct sleep studies at the center.

Filling a ‘huge’ need

Catharine Grimes, president of the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, said the organization was proud to celebrate the center’s opening. 

“This new center will ensure the hospital continues to provide the high-quality, personalized, and family-centered medical care New Jersey’s children deserve, with the comfort and convenience of an outpatient setting,” Grimes said. 

According to RWJBarnabas Health, the foundation’s gifts to BMSCH total more than $20 million. It made its first donation 24 years ago, which renamed the children’s hospital.

Kelly Chaknis, BMSCH chief administrative officer, called the foundation “an outstanding partner.” Chaknis added that the latest gift “fills a huge need for families with children who suffer from many chronic conditions.”