Marshall Health Network Emergency Department Earns Always Ready for Kids Certification

Marshall Health Network-Rivers Health Emergency Department has earned the Always Ready for Kids certification. This statewide designation recognizes hospitals that demonstrate excellence in pediatric emergency care.

The certification is awarded through the EMS for Children Program, which works to reduce child and youth mortality and morbidity caused by severe illness or trauma. The program’s mission is to ensure that every child—no matter where they live, attend school or travel—has access to state-of-the-art emergency medical care.

“Providing high-quality emergency care for children is a critical part of our mission,” said Melanie Akers, DNP, MBA, RN, vice president of Women and Children’s Services at Marshall Health Network. “This recognition underscores the commitment of our team and the exceptional care they provide every day.”

“The EMS for Children Program aims to make sure that pediatric emergency care is available to every ill or injured child or adolescent,” said Erin Timbrook, Coordinator of the EMS for Children Program. “This includes ensuring that pediatric services are fully integrated into the emergency medical system, backed by optimal resources, and that the entire spectrum of emergency services from prevention and acute care to rehabilitation is provided to children and adolescents as well as adults.”

“The Always Ready for Kids certification is a meaningful milestone for Rivers Health,” said Shawn Bastin, interim president of Rivers Health. “It reflects the skill, preparation and unwavering focus our emergency department brings to caring for children when it matters most.”

Timbrook noted that care for a pediatric patient does not end once an ambulance or helicopter delivers them to the hospital. “To ensure that continuum of care, EMS for Children developed the Always Ready for Kids Program,” she said. “It is designed to bridge any gaps that may exist when treating pediatric patients in a hospital emergency department. I commend Rivers Health and its staff for recognizing the importance of their commitment to providing optimal treatment for children during a medical or trauma emergency.”

The Always Ready for Kids certification reflects the Rivers Health Emergency Department’s dedication to maintaining the specialized training, equipment and readiness needed to care for the region’s youngest patients.

For more information about pediatric emergency services at Rivers Health, visit https://rivershealth.org/.