Young patients get in the driver's seat

Thanks to MultiPlan, a preferred provider organization based in New York City, the Children's Hospital now has the use of two toy Jeeps, similar to those sold in stores such as Toys 'R Us. Each Jeep can support a child who weighs up to 130 pounds. They were unveiled on April 10 in the hospital's Christie Simonetti Playdeck, where children demonstrated how the toy cars work.

"It will be a much less traumatic journey to the operating room if a child is given the opportunity to drive him or herself from the waiting room to surgery," said Walter Pegoli, Jr., chief of pediatric surgery. "We won't be checking driver's licenses, but we will make sure their treks are supervised and safe."

Registered nurse Anne Eagar, MultiPlan's vice president of quality management, said the company has donated similar toys to children's hospitals elsewhere in the country. However, this is the first donation to a hospital in Western New York, and she believes youngsters, especially those about to undergo surgery, will benefit greatly.

"Under those types of circumstances, a child's breathing isn't as stable as an adult's would be," Eagar said. "This will definitely help children relax in what can sometimes be a stressful situation."

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