Boston Children’s Hospital and Cape Cod Hospital in the US have partnered to improve patient access to highly specialised paediatric care for families in Cape Cod.

Beginning this month, Boston Children’s physicians are offering round the clock medical services as well as clinical consultation for Cape Cod Hospital’s paediatric programme.

The physicians are providing services to the hospital’s inpatient unit, new-born nursery and labour and delivery unit, and consultations to its emergency department.

Boston Children’s Hospital president and CEO Dr Kevin Churchwell said: “Boston Children’s Hospital is committed to providing access to the highest quality, integrated paediatric care to patients and families throughout Massachusetts, preferably as close to home as possible.

“We look forward to working together with the exceptional staff at Cape Cod Hospital — as well as other providers on the Cape — to strengthen our shared ability to bring specialised paediatric care closer to the patients and families of Cape Cod.”

As part of this collaboration, Boston Children’s will provide novel paediatric services such as interactive video technology to support pre-transport decisions and care for new-borns who are critically ill and require transfer, as well as offer training in high-risk clinical scenarios.

It will also offer consultative support for Cape Cod Hospital’s new-born hearing screening programme.

Cape Cod Healthcare president and CEO Michael Lauf said: “Providing the best healthcare on Cape Cod means providing the best paediatric care. Our collaboration with Boston’s Children’s Hospital helps us to achieve this important goal.

“In times of crisis, our patients want to be near loved ones rather than travel for care. Now, Boston Children’s Hospital will bring their clinicians’ hands-on expertise here.”