Kent Hospital’s Emergency Department Recognized with Pediatric Innovator Designation

(Warwick, RI) - Kent Hospital’s Emergency Department has been recognized as a Pediatric Innovator, the highest designation awarded by the Rhode Island Department of Health’s Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Program. This distinction honors emergency departments that demonstrate exceptional commitment to delivering high-quality, safe, and effective care for pediatric patients.

The Pediatric Innovator status distinguishes Kent Hospital as “Always Ready for Children,” part of a state and region-wide initiative designed to help improve the quality, safety, and readiness of pediatric emergency care. The program supports emergency departments in meeting the unique needs of children during medical emergencies.

“Kent Hospital’s Emergency Department is always ready for every patient who comes through our doors, no matter what age,” said Dr. Daren Girard, Chief of Emergency Medicine, Kent Hospital. “Each year, thousands of pediatric patients come to Kent with high fevers, broken bones, allergic reactions, and sudden illnesses. Our team is equipped to respond with skill, speed, and compassion.”

The Pediatric Recognition Program includes three levels of designation: Ready, Engaged, and Innovator. As the highest level, Pediatric Innovator is awarded to emergency departments that demonstrate advanced standards of care, a strong focus on continuous quality improvement, and ongoing pediatric-specific education and training.

“Achieving Pediatric Innovator reflects Kent Hospital's dedication to delivering exceptional care for children,” said Girard. “Our physicians, nurses, and pharmacists worked together to ensure our policies, procedures, and equipment meet the standards set by the EMSC Program. This multidisciplinary effort underscores our commitment to continuous improvement and innovation in pediatric emergency services.”

“It has been shown that states that have implemented pediatric recognition programs consistently report higher pediatric readiness scores and improved patient outcomes, including reductions in pediatric mortality rates,” said Jerry Larkin, MD, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health. “The health professionals at Kent Hospital should be congratulated for their excellence, and administrators at Kent Hospital should be congratulated for their work to develop a culture of continuous improvement in the area of pediatric emergency care.”

Kent Hospital will continue to build on its Pediatric Innovator achievement by enhancing pediatric emergency care and improving outcomes for children across the region. 

About Kent Hospital
Kent Hospital, a Care New England facility, is a 359-bed, acute care hospital. It ranks as Rhode Island’s second-largest hospital, serving around 300,000 residents in central Rhode Island. As a teaching affiliate of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and The University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kent provides training programs in emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, podiatry, diabetology, and gastroenterology. Its Emergency Department (ED), classified as a high-volume ED by CMS, handles roughly 55,000 patients annually and is one of four hospitals in Rhode Island offering emergency angioplasty for heart attacks. Additionally, it has been recognized as a verified geriatric surgery facility by the American College of Surgeons Geriatric Surgery Verification (GSV) program—the first hospital in New England and the 25th nationwide to earn this distinction. Kent Hospital also maintains a longstanding clinical partnership with Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, providing excellent local care for conditions like cardiology, pulmonary issues, thoracic surgery, colorectal surgery, and other specialties. The hospital is dedicated to becoming age-friendly to deliver top-quality care for older adults. Its Silver-Level 2 Geriatric ED Accreditation, Geriatric Surgery Comprehensive Excellence Verification, and Acute Care for Elders (ACE) unit exemplifies Kent’s commitment to Healthy Aging and managing issues affecting the health and well-being of the aging community.