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| Name |
Blank Children's Hospital |
| Address |
1200 Pleasant Street |
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| Town |
Des Moines |
| State |
Iowa |
| Country |
USA |
| Post Code |
50309 |
| Phone |
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| Fax |
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| Email |
| Website |
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About Blank Children's Hospital
** About Us **
Blank Children's Hospital is completely dedicated to meeting the unique healthcare needs of children. Blank Children's is an 88-bed environment that embraces and encourages families to be a part of their child's healing and recovery. Everything from equipment to decor is designed specifically for children.
Committed to Family-Centered Healing, Caring and Teaching
At Blank Children's Hospital, we embrace a family-centered care philosophy where families are recognized as the most important part of a child's healing process and are encouraged to be actively involved in patient care the constant in children's lives.
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History Of Blank Children's Hospital
Blank Children's Hospital has the distinction of being the only civilian hospital built during World War II. At that time, Iowa had the highest rate of polio among children of any state, but was one of only a few states that did not have a children's hospital to care for them. The A.H. and Anna Blank family built the original hospital in 1944, in honor of their son Raymond who died at a young age, to address the healthcare needs of Iowa's ill and injured children - and that legacy has continued for more than 65 years.
Legacy of Care - A detailed History
1943
Construction on Blank Children's Hospital begins. The original hospital with 80 beds included a playroom decorated with Disney-character murals designed by Walt Disney artists. Lee Forest Hill, M.D., is instrumental in the development of Blank Children's Hospital.
1944
Blank Children's Hospital is dedicated.
1945
The Pediatric Residency Program begins at Blank Children's Hospital under the direction of Lee Forest Hill, M.D. Blank Children's is one of two teaching hospitals in the state training future pediatricians.
1947
Raymond Blank Hospital Guild forms to support the services of Blank Children's Hospital. Because of the overwhelming number of children hospitalized for polio, Blank Children's is expanded to add more patient rooms.
1948
When the polio epidemic strikes the Midwest, Blank Children's Hospital becomes a statewide center for the care of hundreds of children.
1950
Iowa records the highest polio rate in the United States during this year. Blank Children's Hospital staff cared for 252 patients. Two years later, 570 children were treated at Blank Children's and 560 of them survived.
1951
Blank Children's Hospital constructs its first nursery for high-risk infants featuring ultra-violet light banks to eliminate bacteria and viruses.
1956
The first pediatric open heart surgery outside the Mayo Clinic is performed successfully on a 6-year old Blank Children's Hospital patient.
1957
Blank Children's Hospital Pediatric Residency Program hosts the first-ever Spring Conference addressing important pediatric health and wellness topics for pediatricians and family practice physicians across Iowa.
The tiniest surviving baby is born at 1 pound, 13 ounces. His first three months of life are spent in the premie nursery.
1958
The Raymond Blank Memorial Hospital Guild provides funding for a poison information center. During the first six months of operation, 222 children benefit from its service.
1961
The Blank Guild purchases two incubators for the care of infants born prematurely.
1964
Pediatric carts carrying specialized equipment are introduced in surgical recovery rooms.
1972
Blank Children's Hospital opens the neonatal intensive care unit, the first in central Iowa, and one of only three in the state under the direction of Dr. Charlotte Fisk and Dr. James Hopkins.
1974
The neonatal intensive care unit introduces an X-ray machine specifically designed for infants.
1975
The first Variety Club telethon to benefit the neonatal intensive care unit is held. A total of $50,000 is raised.
1976
With continuing support from the Variety Club, Blank Children's Hospital neonatal intensive care unit is renamed and dedicated as the Variety Club Intensive Care Nursery (NICU).
1979
Plans are announced to build a Ronald McDonald House to provide lodging for families of hospitalized children. Des Moines joins only seven other cities in the United States with Ronald McDonald housing.
1980
Blank Children's Hospital establishes the NICU transport team where specially-trained professionals transport high-risk infants to the Variety Club Intensive Care Nursery.
1981
The new Blank Children's Hospital building is completed and patients are moved in.
1983
The first Festival of Tress & Lights fundraiser is held to raise money for programs and services at Blank Children's Hosiptal.
1986
Iowa's first Children's Cancer Center opens at Blank Children's Hospital. Blank Children's is one of two hospitals in the state caring for children with cancer.
1991
Variety Club Pediatric Therapy Services opens at Blank Children's Hospital to provide a centralized location for children's rehabilitation services including: Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech/Language Pathology and Audiology Services.
1992
Blank Children's establishes the Greater Des Moines SAFE KIDS Coalition. "Project Safety", Blank Children's first bicycle safety program begins.
1993
Blank Children's Hospital establishes a Child Life Department to help children cope and understand their medical situations.
Karen Gerdes, MD, pediatric critical care physician, joins Blank Children's Hospital. She is the first pediatric intensivist in Iowa.
1994
Blank Children's Hospital introduces its Fire Safety House to teach children fire prevention and survival skills.
Iowa's only dedicated pediatric emergency department opens at Blank Children's Hospital.
Blank Children's Hospital becomes the lead organization for the Greater Des Moines SAFE KIDS Coalition, an organization dedicated to preventing childhood injuries.
1995
The first child advocate is hired at Blank Children's Hospital to actively promote health, safety and well-being of children.
1996
Blank Children's Hospital creates Iowa's only dedicated pediatric transport team, which transported more than 130 critically-ill and injured children in its first year of service.
1997
Blank Children's Hospital Guild celebrates 50 years of supporting programs for children.
The family-centered care program is started at Blank Children's Hospital and continues to serve as the overarching philosophy for patient care.
The John R. Grubb-Variety Club Children's Health Center opens providing comprehensive medical care for children in one outpatient location. The Variety Club Intensive Care Nursery celebrates "25 Years of Tiny Miracles."
The world's first surviving septuplets are cared for in the Variety Club Intensive Care Nursery.
1998
Blank becomes the lead organization for the statewide Iowa SAFE KIDS Coalition.
Blank Children's Hospital receives approval from the Iowa Health Facilities Council to perform pediatric kidney and liver transplants as part of the new Central Iowa Transplant Association.
The Dr. Jack Spevak Visiting Professorship begins through an endowment in his memory from family and friends. The first visiting professor is William Zinkham, MD.
1999
Blank Children's Hospital becomes the lead agent for the Iowa SAFE KIDS Coalition.
The Family Resource Library opens at Blank Children's Hospital. The library was made possible through a grant from the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
Blank Children's Hospital embarks on a $15.4 million community capital campaign to redesign and renovate the hospital to better meet the needs of children and their families.
2000
The groundbreaking ceremony for the "new" Blank Children's takes place. Myron Blank, Raymond's brother, is present to assist in the groundbreaking.
Candidate forums are hosted at Blank Children's to get local political candidates to voice their stance on children's issues.
Blank Children's Hospital, with National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI), completes the first presidential candidate survey with responses included in The Des Moines Register.
Blank Children's Hospital receives the first-ever NACHRI award for Advocacy.
2001
Blank Children's Hospital restructures its bicycle safety program and names it "All Heads Covered".
Blank Children's Hospital opens its newly renovated, all private-room facility. The Variety Club Intensive Care Nursery becomes one of the first in the world Level III private room neonatal intensive care units.
2002
Blank Children's Hospital launches a web page to provide child passenger safety information and assistance to parents and caregivers across Iowa.
Blank Children's Hospital performs its very first pediatric da Vinci Surgical System surgery. Drs. Michael Irish and Stephen Wolf perform the surgery. Blank Children's is the only hospital in Iowa utilizing the da Vinci® Surgical Systemin pediatric surgeries.
The Regional Child Protection Center (RCPC) opens at Blank Children's Hosiptal. The RCPC is under the medical direction of Rizwan Shah, MD, nationally-recognized child abuse and neglect physician.
The Advocacy and Outreach Departments at Blank Children's Hospital hosts the first ever Child and Youth Injury Prevention Conference with keynote speaker Christine Branche, Ph.D., director of unintentional injury prevention at the Centers for Disease Control.
2003
Medical Outreach initiated the Just for Kids Care Cart to provide neonatal and pediatric equipment and supplies to healthcare providers across Iowa.
Dr. Michael Irish, pediatric surgeon, operated on the youngest and smallest patient in the world using the da Vinci® Surgical System.
The Advocacy and Outreach Department obtained the Robert Wood Johnson Grant to start an Injury Free Coalition for Kids in the Des Moines area.
2004
The smallest baby ever born in Iowa and the third smallest male baby to survive in the world was born at Iowa Methodist Medical Center (IMMC) and cared for at Blank Children's Hospital. John Shirley weighed just 325 grams, or 11.5 ounces, and measured only 10.25 inches long. Today, John is a happy, healthy little boy.
2005
Blank Children's Hospital purchased a brand new, completely wheelchair-accessible Fire Safety House. The 38-foot fire safety tool will be utilized by schools and fire departments statewide to teach thousands of children about fire safety.
2006
The Wishes Endowment is created by the Iowa Health Foundation to provide long-term, sustainable support for programs and services at Blank Children's Hospital.
In February, the PGA TOUR's Champions Tour selected Blank Children's Hospital, a beneficiary of the Allianz Championship, as its 2005 Charity of the Year. The honor included a $30,000 gift to the hospital. The Allianz Championship, in its six year history, donated more than $187,000 to Blank Children's Hospital.
The new Adolescent Health Center is opened as a dedicated clinic for teens and young adults.
2007
Pediatric Endocrinology began holding outreach clinics in Ames once a month.
The Pediatric Therapy Department opened a second location in Ankeny, located next to the Iowa Health Physicians Pediatric Clinic. Services offered by Pediatric Therapy in Ankeny include physical therapy, speech/language therapy and occupational therapy.
Blank Children's Hospital added a new specialty - Pediatric Nephrology. Ari Auron, MD, joined staff to help care for children with kidney diseases and illnesses.
2008
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that its comprehensive study to examine the effect of genes and the environment on children's health had entered the next phase of operations. Dr. Rizwan Shah, Regional Child Protection Center medical director, was name one of the principal investigators of the study for Iowa.
Blank Children's Hospital was verified as a Level II Trauma Center by the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons.
The 25th annual Festival of Trees & Lights is held, raising funds for the Child LIfe and Adovcacy & Outreach programs.
2009
Helen M. Johnson, from Webster City, left a generous estate gift, which is the single largest gift ever received at Blank Children's Hospital. More than $5 million was given to the Wishes Endowment Campaign. Her substantial gift will establish an endowment in her name and support essential programs for children where reimbursements only cover a fraction of the cost.
Surpassed the $35 million mark for the Wishes Endowment Campaign - goal is $50 million.
Launched the Mobile Simulation Program, offered by Medical Outreach, to provide hands-on education to medical professions in their hospitals and clinics.
Dr. Michael Irish, pediatric surgeon, was the first surgeon in Iowa to perform minimally-invasive single incision appendectomy and cholecystectomy on patients using new surgery technology.
Launched our new Neonatal & Pediatric Critical Care Ambulance for use by the Neonatal and Pediatric Transport Teams. It's the only ambulance of it's kind in the region, and offers the ability to transport more than one patient in addition to family members. The ambulance was made possible by a generous gift from Variety - The Children's Charity.
Center for Advocacy and Outreach was recognized by the United Way of Central Iowa with the 2009 Live United Advocate Award.
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