Paige Thomas

When two-year-old Paige Thomas fell and broke her clavicle, her mom thought they’d have to leave Independence to find an Emergency Department that cared for children.

“I decided to call Centerpoint, just in case,” said Maggie Thomas, Paige’s mom. Centerpoint told her to bring her daughter directly to the Emergency Department.

Thomas, who is a Centerpoint employee and works as a Unit Secretary on the hospital’s 3rd floor, knew the hospital has a great Emergency Department but didn’t know the team cared for patients of all ages, including young children.

Centerpoint is a Level II Trauma Center that cares for patients of all ages — including children. So far this year, the Medical Center has seen more than 7,700 patients under the age of 18.

“I was surprised because I didn’t think they provided pediatric emergency care,” Thomas said.

“We have the technology and medical expertise to care for many types of pediatric emergencies,” said DeAnna Edwards, RN, assistant director of the ED. “Our Emergency Department team includes board-certified Pediatric Emergency Physicians who have special training to evaluate and treat children.”

“It’s a hidden treasure,” Thomas said of the ED. “It’s wonderful to know we have such a resource right here in Independence.” Thomas said she was impressed with the quality of care and the time it took for her daughter to see a doctor.

“We were there for less than an hour,” she said. Paige left the ED with a sling around her neck and a bag with two stuffed animals — courtesy of the Centerpoint team.