By Daniel Casciato

Dr. Robert Flood, a stalwart in the field of pediatric emergency medicine, has seen the landscape evolve in his career spanning over three decades. Today, as the head of emergency medicine for Nicklaus Children’s Health System in South Florida, he oversees one of the largest pediatric ERs in the country.

“Our volume has more than doubled in the last two and a half decades,” Flood says. “We registered 102,000 patients in 2022, making us the largest pediatric volume ER in Florida and one of the largest in the country.”

Dr. Flood’s journey began in South Florida, where he trained and worked at Jackson Memorial Hospital before taking up roles at South Miami Hospital, Baptist Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, Temple Children’s Hospital, and Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. His varied experiences have provided him with a unique perspective on emergency medicine, a perspective he’s brought back to South Florida with him.

When asked what attracted him to Nicklaus Children’s, he shares, “It’s the opportunity to provide high quality and efficient health care to a population in need.”

He emphasizes the hospital’s growth and affiliations as key to addressing health care disparities. “Pediatric emergency department patient populations tend to be close to 70% Medicaid,” he explains. “When serving at a children’s hospital, you’re taking care of a population that really benefits from access to good doctors and quality care.”

With a growing population and health system, Dr. Flood believes Nicklaus Children’s is perfectly poised to make a significant impact. He stresses access as the key to addressing health care disparities. “We have the most experienced pediatric emergency physicians in the region. We have many of the best sub-specialists in the region. So when you take the quality and add on efficiency and respect, then you can really address the health care disparities on a regional level.”

He is also proud of the recent advancements the health system has made in emergency medical care for children. “We have diagnostic ultrasound capabilities 24 hours a day, which is unheard of in our field of pediatric emergency medicine.”

In the past year, the hospital has also implemented point of care ultrasound services and purchased two new ultrasound machines. This technology allows for quicker diagnoses and more proficient procedures.

Another significant advancement is the introduction of video-assisted intubation devices, which improve safety and efficiency when a patient requires a tube to be placed in their airway due to respiratory failure. Nicklaus Children’s has also started using cloud technology for sharing radiology images, allowing doctors at Nicklaus to access, in real time, radiology studies performed elsewhere in the region.

With these advancements in technology, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is leading the way in providing innovative and timely care. However, the organization also understands that technology alone cannot solve all challenges in pediatric care. This recognition has led to a strategic shift toward forming collaborative partnerships to enhance the health system’s reach and effectiveness.

The hospital has established partnerships with several health care organizations to enhance emergency medical care and improve health outcomes for children. The collaborations with Baptist Health System and Jupiter Medical Center, among others, are part of a concerted effort to provide the highest access point and efficient access to quality care for children. Dr. Flood oversees pediatric emergency clinicians providing care at both Baptist Hospital and Homestead Hospital as well as the Mastroianni Family Pediatric Emergency Department at Jupiter Medical Center.

As for the future goals and initiatives of the emergency medicine department at Nicklaus Children’s, Dr. Flood addressed the importance of the patient journey. “For us, it’s really about creating that ideal experience once they’re here,” he says. The strategy involves streamlining the process to make it as efficient as possible, eliminating non-value-added steps, and ensuring that the families feel valued throughout the process.”

Dr. Flood’s enthusiasm for the future of Nicklaus Children’s is palpable. “I think it’s an exciting time for Nicklaus Children’s,” he concludes. “As we evolve in medicine to more of an accountable care organization model, Nicklaus Children’s is uniquely situated to address that from a population basis rather than just a small community hospital basis.” With quality people, top-notch specialists, and a supportive administration, it seems Nicklaus Children’s is poised to continue making strides in pediatric healthcare in the region.

It’s clear that Dr. Flood’s commitment to providing the highest quality care to every patient, combined with his drive to utilize advancements in technology, positions Nicklaus Children’s as a leader in pediatric emergency medicine. With leaders like Dr. Flood at the helm, there’s no doubt that the hospital is dedicated to improving health care access and quality for all children in South Florida and beyond.

For more information, visit www.nicklaushealth.org.