30 Jul 2024 Unity Health opens Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Unity Health announced its official opening of a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) July 1 at Unity Health-White County Medical Center. This specialty will provide services for mothers and newborns who require neonatal care. The NICU will include seven beds for those who may experience preterm deliveries, low blood glucose levels, high bilirubin levels, respiratory issues, feeding complications and other neonatal issues.

The program will be led by Kevin M. Barnett, MD, and C. Preston Pugh, MD, who are local community members and graduates of Harding University. Both attended medical school and completed a pediatric residency at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). Barnett and Pugh each served as chief residents in pediatrics at UAMS and at Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) and have completed their neonatal-perinatal fellowships at ACH.

“This opportunity is a dream come true,” Barnett said. “I want families to understand that at Unity Health they will receive the best care possible. Being able to offer this service in Searcy allows families to stay close to home while their infants receive care, saving them from traveling to different parts of the state.”

The addition of a NICU at Unity Health will be a great asset to the community, allowing more preterm or sick newborns to remain at the same hospital as their mothers. Families will also have better access to support their infants receiving extended neonatal care locally.

“Through this new specialty, parents and infants will be able to receive immediate, expert care during difficult circumstances and complications,” said LaDonna Johnston, interim CEO and president of Unity Health. “With Dr. Barnett and Dr. Pugh at the helm, this unit will provide expert resources and convenience previously unavailable in our area.”

“It is an honor to be at the forefront of this opportunity,” Pugh said. “Through this experience, we can make a difference in the lives of families and patients who receive critical care and develop lasting relationships.”

Unity Health is an Arkansas healthcare system consisting of four hospitals, 28 family practice clinics, specialists and specialty clinics consisting of 15 areas of practice including: Unity Health-Cardiology Clinic, Unity Health-Orthopaedic and Spine Center, the Pyeatt Family Cancer Center, inpatient and outpatient physical rehabilitation, as well as inpatient and outpatient behavioral health.

As the leading healthcare provider and largest employer in an eight-county area, Unity Health and its more than 2,300 associates strive to improve the quality of health and well-being for the communities they serve through compassionate care. Unity Health has more than 150 physicians who specialize in various areas of healthcare.