Seton Medical Center Williamson in Round Rock has launched a new pediatric program that offers care for patients who do not require a specialist or surgery.

This eight-bed pediatric unit, created in affiliation with Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas, is staffed by eight Dell Children's-trained pediatricians, nurses, respiratory therapists and child development experts who can see patients with noncomplex conditions such as asthma or bronchitis, according to a recent news release.

"Since Dell Children's is the only pediatric hospital in the region, I think it's a huge benefit for families who live in Williamson County to not have to drive all the way down [I-]35 in traffic for noncomplex cases," Seton's Communications Manager Ellen Decareau said. "Seton saw a demand for pediatric care in Williamson County and thought this was a great way to help the community."

In the past two years, an estimated 25 percent of patients treated in Seton Williamson's emergency department were children, according to the news release.

This program is housed at Seton Medical Center Williamson located at 201 Seton Parkway in Round Rock. For more information, visit www.seton.net.