Cedar Park Regional Medical Center opens Dell Children's unit

"When possible, close-to-home is easier for families and better for patients," Iyer said. "Families don't have to travel all the way down to Austin. They can have that level of care in Cedar Park."

Dell Children's at Cedar Park Regional Medical Center will provide care for children with diagnoses such as asthma, bronchiolitis, cellulitis, croup, dehydration, gastroenteritis, neonatal fever and pneumonia. Dr. Mark Shen, Dell Children's Medical Center president, said the 8-bed unit at CPRMC is the start of what leaders hope will be a continuing alliance with Dell Children's.

"Within 24 months, we will be down the road of having more health care for children and an expanded presence in Cedar Park," Shen said. "This is the first step toward building a Dell Children's Medical Center north."

The children's unit, located on the third floor, is the most recent change at CPRMC, which opened at 1401 Medical Parkway, Cedar Park, in 2007. Brad Holland, Cedar Park Regional Medical Center's chief executive officer, said he is excited about the new unit.

"This strategic alliance is a defining moment in our organization's history as we are now able to provide inpatient care for our community's most valuable assets—our children," he said in a statement.