Children’s South opening Sept. 29
Pediatric specialist Heidi Heatherdale helps Noah Kolovich, 4, with a checkup on his new teddy bear.
Joe Loughner and son Leo, 2, play right next to where Leo’s mom, a physical therapist, will work at UPMC Children’s South.
The sun and color-splashed waiting areas of the new Children’s South off of I-79 in Bridgeville.
Bright, open areas will be used for physical therapy.
For Misti and Matt Kolovich, it will only take 15 minutes to take their son, Noah, to get emergency and routine medical care.
“Even for some dental work, we’ve had to go Children’s in Pittsburgh. Now we don’t have to do that,” Misti Kolovich said.
The two were among dozens of parents visiting UPMC Children’s South Sept. 20 ahead of the facility’s Sept. 29 opening, which will take on all pediatric care from the former Bethel Park facility. Adult medical services will expand at the former children’s facility, according to UPMC officials. In the interim, Children’s Express care at the Bethel Park facility closes Sept. 28 and will reopen Sept. 29 at the new Children’s Hospital South, UPMC spokesperson Andrea Kunicky said.
For Donna Bono and her two children, ages 5 and 8, the open house visit on Miller’s Run Road was an opportunity to meet the medical staff.
“It’s nice that everything is together. Dermatology, general pediatrics. And we don’t have to go anywhere else for dental care apparently, either,” Bono, a South Fayette resident, said.
Cecil parents Greg and Lisa Hribik said after a few 50-minute emergency trips to Lawrenceville with daughter Elisabet, time cut down on travel and consolidation of services was also a relief for them.
“She had broken her arm after a tumble. It’s scary, but things will be less scary knowing this is right in our backyard,” Greg said.
“Elisabet has some mild asthma and still needs allergy testing as she turns 4, so this is great to know we can come here for practically everything,” Lisa said.
Joe Loughner knows firsthand the care his 2-year-old son, Leo, will be getting. His wife is a therapist at Children’s South. “This is state-of-the-art care. The building itself is friendly and inviting, and everything you’d want or need is on one of the three floors,” Loughner said.
Among new and improved services at the $24 million Children’s Hospital South are physical therapy, speech and hearing therapy, radiology and dental care.