The recent launch of University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Multispecialty Clinic at UH Perrico Health Center in Willoughby means parents enjoy direct access to the healthcare their children need right now

By Laura Briedis

It’s been said that there are only two lasting bequests parents can give their children. One of these is roots, and the other, wings. But between the time a child is born and grows into adulthood, UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s would say providing the best health care is the third pillar.

As one of the premier children’s hospitals in the country, its mission is to deliver the highest quality of care to children. And now these services are closer to home—making it more convenient for parents to ensure their child is getting the medical care needed to grow into a healthy adult.

University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Multispecialty Clinic at UH Perrico Health Center opened last month, expanding access to care for families in Lake, Ashtabula and Geauga counties.

The new kid-friendly space offers 12 pediatric specialties, including four specialties new to the area in pediatric pulmonology, otolaryngology, urology and neurosurgery.

“We are excited to bring specialized pediatric care for common childhood conditions like allergies, asthma, diabetes and sports injuries closer to home for families in surrounding counties,” says Patti DePompei, RN, MSN, President, UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s and UH MacDonald Women’s hospitals and Rainbow Babies & Children’s Foundation Chair in Leadership and Innovation. “University Hospitals provides the depth and breadth of a host of pediatric specialties for children who require specialized care in a facility that is child friendly and family oriented. We have specialists and expertise together in one spot, close to home, eliminating the need for parents to drive far for these services.”

The UH Rainbow Multispecialty Clinic at UH Perrico Health Center expands and integrates services previously offered at the UH Mentor Hopkins Health Center and transitions those services to Willoughby, just five miles away. This move allowed the clinic footprint to triple in size.

“There is a need in the community for these medical services, as we have seen a strong growth in the under-18 population in Lake County, as well as an increase in the number of children seeking pediatric specialties at our different locations,” says Patti. “We feel it is important to offer these specialty services as close to home as possible.”

In addition to Rainbow specialists, the new clinic also features access to unique services like biofeedback (GI) for children experiencing bowel movement difficulties, and advanced ultrasound technologies such as Fibroscan, to diagnose liver disease and bladder scan, for urology studies. In addition, the ENT suite is outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment like an ENT patient chair, treatment cart and ceiling mounted microscope. The cardiology suite likewise is equipped with the latest in EKG and echocardiography technology.

The new pediatric specialty suite is adjacent to radiology and laboratory services, and to the Lake Health OB/Gyn Group, so if there is an issue detected with a fetus that may require additional pediatric intervention once the baby is born, the family can connect with a pediatric specialist right away.

“As the needs of children and families evolve, so, too, are we,” says Patti. “We are excited to be part of a growing community and becoming a good neighbor.”

Pediatric Specialties Close to Home
With the opening of University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Multispecialty Clinic at UH Perrico Health Center in Willoughby, families now have convenient access to UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s experts in 12 pediatric specialties:

• Cardiology
• Endocrinology
• Gastroenterology
• General Surgery
• Nephrology
• Neurology
• Neurosurgery
• Orthopedics
• Otolaryngology (ENT)
• Pulmonology
• Sports Medicine
• Urology

Doctors specializing in these pediatric specialties offer the same expertise available at the main campus in Cleveland, but with the convenience of being close to home.

UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Multispecialty Clinic at UH Perrico Health Center is located at 4176 State Route 306, Suite 300, in Willoughby. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit LakeHealth.org/Rainbow or call 216-844-7700.