SPRINGFIELD, Ill -- Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, state public health director, today presented St. John's Hospital of Springfield with an excellence in pediatric care award for its dedication to meeting the special health care needs of children.

The Ron W. Lee, M.D. Excellence in Pediatric Care Award for Community Service is given annually by the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) program to recognize those dedicated to pediatric emergency care and childhood injury prevention initiatives.

"While our emergency system tends to focus on the care of adult patients, over the past decade St. John's Hospital has ensured that appropriate resources and adequately trained personnel are in place to meet the emergency care needs of children," Dr. Whitaker said. "In addition, St. John's has established educational programs to educate children and their families about such things as car safety seats, poison control and injury prevention."

The special pediatric emergency care or educational programs undertaken by St. John's include:

• Specialized pediatric training for emergency medical technicians and paramedics, including new training developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
• Weekly child safety seat clinics with the Illinois Secretary of State's Office to assist with the fitting and distribution of car seats and booster seats.
• A Car Seat Safety Resource Center that serves 35 counties in the Springfield Perinatal Region, which consists of 34 hospitals, 35 local health departments and 22 community agencies.
• The St. John's Safe Sitter Program that teaches boys and girls, 11 to 13 years of age how to handle medical emergencies when caring for children, nurturing techniques and behavior management skills. Over the past five years, the program has certified more than 2,000 sitters.
• Outreach education to schools, community groups, organizations and businesses in central Illinois regarding poison prevention as one of the 13 satellite facilities affiliated with the Illinois Poison Center.
• Free athletic training services to athletic programs at 31 middle and high schools in a five-county region. The AthletiCare Program also provides community education for coaches, schools, athletic programs and individuals.
• The annual Child Health and Safety Fair at White Oaks Mall, Springfield. The fair, which has been held since 1997, has educated more than 6,000 children on child health and injury prevention through free activities and exhibits.
• Designation in 2002 as an Emergency Department Approved for Pediatrics (EDAP), which indicates the hospital is capable of meeting pediatric emergency standards that include professionals specially trained in pediatric emergency care; availability of essential pediatric equipment, supplies and medication; and treatment protocols for the management of abused and critically injured children.

The Illinois EMSC program is a collaborative effort of the Illinois Department of Public Health and Loyola University Medical Center of Chicago. It was established in 1994 to ensure that the emergency medical care needs of children are adequately addressed.

The Ron W. Lee, M.D. award is presented each May in three categories - community service, lifetime achievement and clinical excellence as part of Emergency Medical Services Week observances.

Dr. Whitaker will make additional Ron W. Lee, M.D. award presentations next week. Dr. Lee was the director of emergency medicine at Loyola University Medical Center and was instrumental in establishing and fostering the EMSC program in Illinois. He passed away in 1998.