Bridging The Gap: How Ranken Jordan Is Transforming Pediatric Healthcare In Missouri
Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital in Maryland Heights is more than a medical facility; it’s a beacon of hope for children with complex medical needs. With a mission to provide timely, family-centered care, Ranken Jordan ensures that no child falls through the cracks of the healthcare system.
While many recognize Ranken Jordan for its inpatient services, the hospital is equally committed to outpatient care. Children who require specialized therapies—often with multiple disciplines involved—find a collaborative and supportive environment where their needs are met holistically.
With advanced medical equipment and a dedicated team of professionals, Ranken Jordan fills gaps in pediatric healthcare, ensuring timely access to essential therapies without the prolonged wait times often seen at other facilities.
“Our goal is to provide timely and comprehensive services for patients in need of therapy,” says Danielle McKay, director of therapy. “The volume of children in need of therapy exceeds the capacity of some of the other providers in the region, which leads to waitlists for services. Ranken Jordan is an option for patients that would otherwise have a prolonged wait to get connected with the right services, equipment, and programs.”
Outpatient Services Available at Ranken Jordan
Ranken Jordan’s outpatient services cater to a diverse population, ranging from children needing short-term therapy for developmental delays to those requiring lifelong therapeutic support.
Many patients have complex medical conditions, making it essential for them to receive care from a team that understands the intricacies of their needs. The hospital’s ability to provide an integrated approach—with physical, occupational, and speech therapy working in tandem—creates a seamless experience for families navigating their child’s medical journey.
Aquatic Therapy
One of the standout outpatient services is aquatic therapy. With temperatures around 92 degrees, the pool provides a soothing environment that helps children with mobility challenges, sensory processing disorders, and medical complexities relax and engage in therapy more effectively.
Many families are initially drawn to Ranken Jordan because of the rarity of this offering in the region. Beyond its therapeutic benefits, the pool allows children to learn basic motor skills in a less intimidating, play-based setting, often leading to faster and more effective progress.
Encopresis and Functional Constipation Program
Another specialized outpatient service is the Encopresis and Functional Constipation Program, which supports children struggling with chronic bowel control issues. This comprehensive program combines therapy, psychology, and medical expertise to address the root causes of the condition and provide effective solutions.
With few options available for this type of care, Ranken Jordan has become a crucial resource for families who have exhausted other avenues without success. Through a structured, multidisciplinary approach, children regain confidence and improve their quality of life, enabling them to participate more fully in school and social activities.
Multidisciplinary Intensives for Targeted Progress
Ranken Jordan also offers multidisciplinary intensive therapy, an approach that delivers highly focused treatment over short bursts of time, typically ranging from one to four weeks. Instead of spreading therapy goals over months, patients receive daily therapy sessions targeted at specific functional improvements.
This model has been shown to yield substantial progress, allowing children to achieve their goals more efficiently and return to everyday activities with newfound confidence.
Feeding Therapy and Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC)
For children with feeding difficulties or communication challenges, Ranken Jordan provides expert-led feeding therapy and AAC services. Whether the feeding issues are behavioral, sensory, or medical in nature, the hospital’s specialists conduct thorough evaluations to create tailored treatment plans.
Meanwhile, the AAC program supports children who are nonverbal or have speech impairments by equipping them with alternative communication tools, ensuring they have a voice in their world. The hospital continually works to reduce wait times for these services, recognizing how vital timely intervention is for a child’s development.
The Role of Donors in Ranken Jordan’s Mission
Much of Ranken Jordan’s success can be attributed to the generosity of its donors. From cutting-edge therapy equipment to special programming, donor contributions directly impact the care provided.
Notable donations include the Universal Exercise Unit (Spider Cage), which enhances physical therapy outcomes, and BITS, a therapeutic video game system that engages both inpatient and outpatient children in interactive therapy.
“The biggest thing with medically complex children is that it’s not one-size-fits-all. What works for one kid may not match another’s needs, and thanks in large part to our donors, we’re able to offer a whole building of unique resources like these,” says outpatient therapy manager Erica Pfeiffer.
One particularly touching story is that of Edward Costigan, a donor who visited Ranken Jordan before his passing in September. Inspired by the hospital’s work, his family funded a winter therapy camp, Adventure ReimaginED, a free program that allows medically complex children to experience the joys of camp in a safe and supportive environment.
Programs like these remove barriers for families who often face overwhelming medical and financial burdens, ensuring children can simply enjoy being kids.
“We were truly moved by how many kids we were able to serve that we normally wouldn’t get to,” Pfeiffer says. “Kids with more complex issues normally aren’t able to attend a summer or winter camp because it would require either people to go with them or specialized staff on hand. So it was a really powerful thing to come and watch kids play with each other and experience those parts of childhood.”
Donors also play a key role in helping Ranken Jordan grow as its demand grows. “Ranken Jordan is committed to bridging gaps in pediatric care, so that means as referrals grow, our goal is to in turn grow and evolve our team and space to ensure we are keeping up with the needs of the community,” McKay says. “We regularly meet with caregivers to understand what they want and need. We use that feedback to shape our programs and think of ways Ranken Jordan can expand community support in the future.”
Supporting Families Beyond Medical Care
Recognizing that pediatric healthcare extends beyond the patient, Ranken Jordan has introduced monthly caregiver resource nights, providing a space for parents to connect, learn, and support one another.
These meetings feature guest speakers and discussions on community resources, addressing the unique challenges faced by families navigating complex medical needs. The hospital remains committed to expanding these initiatives, ensuring that caregivers feel supported and empowered in their child’s journey.
This post was created by SLM Partner Studio on behalf of Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital. Those looking to learn more about Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital can visit their website or schedule a tour of the facilities by calling 314-872-6400.
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