National assessment recognizes Danbury Hospital’s emergency department for delivering specialized care for children, with a pediatric readiness score of 96%.
Northwell Health’s Danbury Hospital has been recognized as Pediatric Ready through a national assessment, reflecting its ability to provide high-quality, specialized emergency care for infants, children and adolescents.
The Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Emergency Department (ED) at Danbury Hospital participated in the National Pediatric Readiness Project Survey (NPRP). Pediatric Readiness is a nationally recognized benchmark that evaluates how well emergency departments are equipped, trained and prepared to treat children safely and effectively. Measured on a scale of 0 to 100, Danbury Hospital achieved a 96% pediatric readiness score, above the national benchmark of 88%. Studies have shown that children treated in pediatric-ready emergency departments have improved outcomes, including reduced complications and better overall recovery.
“Families can rest assured knowing the entire Danbury Hospital emergency medicine team is fully prepared to care for kids through enhanced training and strong processes,” says William Begg, MD, chair of emergency medicine at Danbury/New Milford Hospital. “This recognition reflects our comprehensive commitment to ensuring young patients receive care tailored to their unique medical and developmental needs.”
To earn this recognition, the Danbury Hospital ED underwent a rigorous review of its processes, staffing and resources. The review concluded that Danbury Hospital has pediatric-specific equipment and supplies, evidence-based clinical protocols, and ongoing pediatric emergency care training for physicians, nurses and staff. The department also demonstrated strong performance in quality improvement efforts and established clear processes for consultation and transfer when higher levels of pediatric care are needed.
“Pediatric Readiness affirms that our team is prepared every day to deliver the right care, at the right time, for our youngest and most vulnerable patients,” says Erika Setzer, MSN, director of patient care services, emergency department and behavioral health at Danbury Hospital. “Families in the community can have confidence knowing our team can meet the unique needs of pediatric emergencies, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and close to home.”
In addition to clinical preparedness, the Pediatric Readiness designation emphasizes the importance of patient- and family-centered care. The Danbury Hospital ED has taken steps to create a comforting environment for kids, while also engaging and informing families throughout the care experience.
About Northwell Health
Northwell is the largest not-for-profit health system in the Northeast, serving residents of New York and Connecticut with 28 hospitals, more than 1,000 outpatient facilities, 22,000 nurses and over 20,000 physicians. Northwell cares for more than three million patients annually in the New York metro area, including Long Island, the Hudson Valley, western Connecticut and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Northwell is New York State’s largest private employer with over 104,000 employees — including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners and Nuvance Health Medical Practices — who are working to change healthcare for the better. Northwell, named a TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2025, is making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. Northwell is training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.
