SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital is a non-profit 195-bed inpatient and outpatient pediatric medical center in St. Louis, Missouri. Since its founding in 1956, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon has provided care for children regardless of ability to pay. SSM Health Cardinal Glennon primarily serves children from eastern Missouri and southern Illinois, but also treats children across the United States and from countries around the world. SSM Health Cardinal Glennon also serves as a teaching hospital affiliated with the neighboring Saint Louis UniversitySchools of Medicine and Nursing, and nine other education institutes. SSM Health Cardinal Glennon is a member of SSM Health, one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the country. SSM Health is sponsored by the Franciscan Sisters of Mary and owns, operates and manages hospitals in four states — Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin and Oklahoma. In 2002, SSM Health was the first health care organization in the country to be named a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award winner.
History
Originally named Cardinal Glennon Memorial Hospital for Children after John Cardinal Glennon the Archbishop of St. Louis from 1903-1946, the hospital first opened its doors on July 5, 1956.
Departments
SSM Health Cardinal Glennon is ranked by U.S. News and World Report for their cardiology, gastroenterology, and nephrology departments in the 2017-2018 edition. It is home to more than 200 specialists in more than 60 areas of pediatric medical and surgical sub-specialties including cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery, critical care, emergency, ENT, gastroenterology/hepatology, hematology/oncology, neonatology, nephrology, neurology/neurosurgery, orthopedics, plastic surgery and pulmonology. Surgical services include fetal surgery and minimally invasive surgery. SSM Health Cardinal Glennon, in partnership with Saint Louis University School of Medicine, offers 12 pediatric fellowship programs including allergy and immunology, anesthesia, cardiology, critical care, developmental/behavioral, emergency medicine, gastroenterology, hematology/oncology, neonatal, neurology, surgery and rheumatology. The hospital is home to the Level 1 pediatric trauma center and a Level 4 neonatal intensive care unit, both the highest available classification, and the St. Louis Fetal Care Institute. The St. Louis Fetal Care Institute is the only comprehensive fetal care center in middle America. In addition, the hospital offers:
The St. Louis Cord Blood Bank is one of only seven FDA-licensed public banks of life-saving and non-controversial cord blood cells. The Costas Center, which serves hematology and oncology patients, both on inpatient and outpatient units. This also includes a stem cell transplant unit.
The Dana Brown Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is a Level IV designation and offers 65 all private rooms. The NICU is recognized as a Neonatal Center of Excellence by the American Accreditation Healthcare Commission. The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, a 21-bed, tauma unit that provides care for infants, children and adolescents who become critically ill or injured.
The Dorothy and Larry Dallas Heart Center, home to the hospital’s nationally ranked cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery teams brings together diagnosis and treatment of pediatric and congenital heart issues.
The Dan Dierdorf Pediatric Emergency and Trauma Center is the state’s first and longest-running Level I pediatric trauma center in Missouri and Illinois.
The Missouri Poison Center, designed as the single poison center to serve the entire state of Missouri, handles 55,000 adult and child poison exposure calls each year. The Knights of Columbus Developmental Center provides comprehensive, diagnosis, intervention, family support and professional education services for patients with developmental disabilities such as autism.
The "firsts"
In addition, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon was the first pediatric medical center to:
perform both a living-related liver transplant and split liver transplant in Missouri
perform an infant kidney transplant in Missouri
feature Cleft Palate, Genetics and Neurofibromatosis clinics in the state
operate both a Pediatric Sleep Disorders Program and Lab in St. Louis
provide fully trained pediatricians in the Emergency Department 24 hours a day in the region
be deemed a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center in the state
open a dedicated Pediatric Rehabilitation Unit in Missouri
establish a Cord Blood Bank in the region; was one of the first four in the nation
have a board-certified medical toxicologist in the St. Louis region
perform a laparoscopic node dissection for Genito Urinary cancer in a child
set up molecular DNA testing for the most heritable form of mental disorders in Missouri
establish an ED-to-ED and NICU-to-NICU telemedicine program in the region
establish a neonatal transport team with satellite locations throughout Missouri
become home to the first and only pediatric hydrid cardiac catheterization suite
establish its own 3D printing center to create 3D models for use in surgical procedures
Expansion
SSM Health Cardinal Glennon is committed to bringing patient care and access throughout St. Louis and Illinois communities, with multiple pediatric primary and specialty clinics. Additionally, there are seven SSM Health Cardinal Glennon pediatric emergency rooms throughout Missouri and Illinois.
Celebrity supporters
World-renowned sportscaster Bob Costas has provided a tremendous amount of support to Cardinal Glennon, hosting the annual Bob Costas Charity Benefit at the Fabulous Fox Theatre for 26 years, raising nearly $16 million for The Costas Center. Former NFL St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner sponsored "Warner's Corner," an interactive playroom for pre-teen and teenage in-house patients. Former NFL football player and television sportscaster Dan Dierdorf holds his annual Dierforf/Pronger Golf Classic with former St. Louis Blues hockey defenseman Chris Pronger to support the Dan Dierdorf Pediatric Emergency and Trauma Center. Former St. Louis Cardinals outfielderMatt Holliday and his wife Leslee began Homers for Health in 2012, raising $3.7 million for the hospital in just five years. Said SSM Health Cardinal Glennon's Vice President of Philanthropy, Sandy Koller: “He has done more than any other Cardinal has done for this hospital since Stan Musial." The program is now in its sixth year, and led by St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Matt Carpenter.
In popular culture
The hospital can be seen in the April 2019 film Breakthrough, where, based on true events written in a novel that the movie is based on, the young male lead character is successfully revived after 15 minutes under ice in cold water at Lake St. Louis, and spends about 60 minutes in cardiac arrest.
