Caring for your children
When your child is ill, count on our expert team of pediatricians to provide high quality emergency and inpatient care. Our newly opened and remodeled pediatric unit is staffed with a talented and compassionate team of nurses and pediatricians who are dedicated to providing the best possible care for your child.
We understand that when you have a sick or injured child, it’s an emotionally trying time. Our goal is to make your child and your entire family feel comfortable and supported during your hospital stay.
Why choose Deaconess for your child’s care?
- We’re family oriented and family friendly – Our family of caring, compassionate and experienced nurses is 100 percent focused on providing personalized care for your whole family
- We provide comfort and convenience – When your child is sick or hurting, we know you don’t want to leave his or her side. All of our pediatric rooms include adult beds and complementary meals for parents
- Our pediatric healthcare staff is highly skilled, accessible and approachable – We have a full team of dedicated pediatric hospitalists available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In addition, full time pediatric surgical and sub-specialty coverage is available
Full time Pediatric Hospitalist coverage
Pediatric hospitalists are physicians who specialize in caring only for hospitalized children. Hospitalists do not see children in clinic offices for well checks or minor emergencies. Instead, they focus their attention exclusively on your child’s medical care during hospitalization. Hospitalists maintain ongoing communication with your child’s regular physician throughout treatment. When your child is discharged from the hospital, the hospitalist transfers his or her care back to your family’s regular physician.
Our pediatric hospitalist team specializes in the kinds of medical conditions that need to be treated in the hospital. Because the hospitalists are highly accessible to the pediatric nursing staff, they can often help speed your child’s recovery and shorten his or her hospital stay because they can follow up on tests and adjust treatment plans throughout the day.
Meet our Pediatric Hospitalist team
Petra Messick, M.D. –
Dr. Messick is Board Certified in Pediatrics. She completed her specialty training at the University of Utah and graduated from the University of Amsterdam medical school in the Netherlands. She began seeing patients at Deaconess in April 2011 when the hospital reopened its pediatric unit. Dr. Messick specializes in care of high risk infants, pediatric hematology/oncology and education
Stephanie Heller, M.D. –
Dr. Heller is Board Certified in Pediatrics and completed an internship, residency and fellowship in pediatric emergency medicine at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, where she was named Chief Resident in 2005-2006. A native of the Pacific Northwest, Dr. Heller earned her medical degree from Oregon Health and Science University. She has been a private pediatrician in Pasadena, CA for the past three years. Dr. Heller believes that her experience as both a hospital-based and community pediatrician gives her unique perspective into providing kids and their families with a positive hospital experience.
Jeffrey Chu, M.D. –
Dr. Chu has been with the pediatric hospitalist program at Deaconess since its inception in April 2011. He will permanently join our team on November 1. Dr. Chu graduated from the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, DC. He completed a residency in pediatrics at Georgetown University/MedStar Hospital and a clinical fellowship in medical genetics at the National Institutes of Health/National Human Genome Research Institute. Dr. Chu has been a pediatric hospitalist since 2008, practicing in several hospitals around the country including Potomac Hospital in Woodbridge, VA and Reston Hospital Center in Reston, VA.
