Williamson County's first and only Level III neonatal intensive care unit will open in Round Rock on June 3.

The overview

Part of an expansion to the Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Round Rock, the new NICU offers a specialty level of care for babies with mild to critical illness, or who require life support.

The new unit allows families in the county to receive specialized care for their children while being close to home, the hospital system shared in a release. This comes as Central Texas is experiencing a high level of population growth and new families come to the area.

A closer look


The 10-unit NICU offers complete privacy to families, said Dierdre Martin-Ross, director of women's services at Baylor Scott & White Health. The hospital did not have a NICU prior to the expansion, she said, and this opening brings a host of new medical services to local families. A separate space is designated for twins, with room for double occupancy.

Each room includes:
  • Pull-out sofas for families visiting their children while they are receiving care
  • Refrigerators to store milk and formula
  • Recliners, curtains and window shades for privacy while pumping breast milk
The unit is open to families, with visiting hours 24/7, Martin-Ross said. Parents can also keep an eye on their children at all times using video monitoring technology AngelEye.

Martin-Ross said the facility also offers two rooms for families to spend the night with their children in the NICU just before going home. This allows families to have access to medical professionals instantly if any needs arise before fully returning home, she said.

What's next?


At the end of June, the hospital system will have a transportation team available to transfer babies from other medical centers to the unit at a moment's notice to receive care there, Martin-Ross said.