Tel. 937-641-3060
Fax. 937-641-5480

Medical Director: Sherman Alter, MD

Location information: 
The Children's Medical Center of Dayton
One Children's Plaza
Dayton, OH 45404-1815
Get directions to Almost Home

Administrative manager: Cathy Gill, RN, BS

Almost Home is Dayton Children's connection between inpatient care and home. The unit is specially designed for pediatric patients who need trained medical or surgical observation and monitoring. Almost Home focuses on parent-assisted care, creating a partnership between the physicians, nursing staff and parents. Almost Home patients usually stay less than 24 hours. Their stay may be extended based on their medical needs. The 34-room unit is operated by Dayton Children's pediatric nurses, assistive personnel and the attending physician. Most rooms are private with sleeping arrangement for family members. Shower facilities for families are onsite. Resident physicians and pediatric nurse practitioners are available to assist in caring for patients.

Diagnoses or conditions treated

• Planned admissions for
  • Heart catheterizations
  • Blood transfusions
  • IV antibiotics
  • Preoperative procedures
  • Sedated outpatient testing and minor procedures
  • Therapeutic infusions
  • Reflux studies

Observation patients are not scheduled and may be Postoperative

• Direct admissions from physicians offices
• Transfers from the emergency department
• Abdominal pain, asthma, need rehydration or IV infusions

Services available

• Outpatient burn treatment
• Histories and physicals before surgeries and sedated procedures
• Gastroenterology motility studies including pH probe studies

Clinics:

For clinics, see above

Outreach or support programs

Educational sessions at outlying hospitals on care of minor burns, reflux, neurology and orthopedic assessments. Call for more information.

Referral Information for physicians:

Phone: 937-641-3060* (ask for the team leader)
Fax: 937-641-5480

Hours referrals accepted: 24 hours a day, seven days a week

A referral form is included in the Guide to Services and the online referral booklet. If you do not have one of these, call 937-641-4000.

*Call this number to admit a patient. Your patients bypass the admitting department and are assigned directly to Almost Home.