SWEETWATER COUNTY — Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, has a new program to help patients from outside Utah schedule appointments for children with complex illness who need to see pediatric specialists – The Navigator Scheduling Program.

“Primary Children’s Hospital serves a five-state area, and we know it’s difficult for families who must travel here from outside the state of Utah. We want their visit to be as convenient and stress-free as possible,” says Ed Clark, M.D., Chief Medical Office of Primary Children’s. “We want to take care of the child’s medical needs and get the family back home quickly.”

The Navigator program is now available to set up appointments with multiple medical services, so the visits can be coordinated close together in a convenient time frame. This way the family may need to make only one trip to Salt Lake City instead of several. In addition, the Navigator program team will help the family through the complexities of the visit.

“When a patient and family from rural Wyoming are referred to Primary Children’s Hospital, it can be a frightening experience,” says Jerry Klein, CEO of Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater. “Through this wonderful program, much of the fear and anxiety will be overcome.”

Here’s how the program works. A parent or physician’s office calls the Navigator Scheduling Program at 801-587-0462. The Navigator team will work with the family to line up all the doctors’ appointments and medical tests that are needed for the child at a time that is convenient for the family.

“To have someone to walk you through the medical process at an unfamiliar facility is a huge plus for any parent with a child requiring the services of Primary Children’s Hospital,” says Al Harris, Foundation Board President, Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater.

“We work closely with Memorial Hospital and doctors in Sweetwater County to coordinate pediatric care for children who have complex medical needs,” says Dr. Clark. Navigator is an important service that makes coordinating that care a little easier for everyone.”

For more information on the Navigator Scheduling Program, contact the Memorial Hospital Foundation at 307.352.8234.