Helping medically complex children leave the ICU
and come home—safely and with confidence.
A Structured, Team-Based Path from ICU to Home
HICU® is a 12-week, home-based step-down program that transitions high-acuity infants and children safely from NICU/PICU to home.
Supports safe, timely transitions home for medically complex infants and children.
Fills the gap when a child is clinically ready for discharge but home support and readmission risk are concerns
Deploys dedicated, HICU®-certified pediatric nurses for the most fragile children post-discharge
Helps shorten NICU/PICU stays, reduce avoidable readmissions, and free critical care capacity
Delivers complex, hands-on care at home while coaching and empowering families
Maintains continuity through close hospital collaboration and a smooth transition to ongoing BAYADA Pediatrics nursing
Exceptional care for a variety of needs and diagnoses
From micro-preemies to children with congenital anomalies, we help children and families live and thrive at home, including those who are:
Technology-dependent (tracheostomy, ventilator, gastrostomy tube, complex airway)
Experiencing delayed discharge due to home-care readiness or staffing challenges
At higher risk for readmissions or emergency utilization without structured support
Returning home to families who need intensive oversight and predictable nursing coverage
Measurable outcomes that reduce costs, readmissions, and length of stay
HICU® was designed to support value-based care goals—addressing pressure on length of stay, limited ICU capacity, and the high cost of avoidable readmissions—while keeping children safe at home and thriving.
In multiple cases, children supported through HICU® avoided rehospitalization entirely and transitioned smoothly into long-term pediatric nursing— delivering measurable value across utilization, cost, and quality benchmarks without compromising safety or family experience.
Proven HICU® outcomes:
0%
Reduction in hospital readmission rate
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Average cost savings per patient per year
0.00%
Reliability rate
Jesse’s Story: Transforming Pediatric Home Care
Jesse's journey shows what truly tailored high-acuity home care looks like in practice. His team built a plan around his specific risks, ventilator and trach needs, family capacity, and home environment — adjusting coverage as he stabilized. As John Lovelace, Former President of UPMC for You, notes:
"When care is customized to the child and coordinated across the team, outcomes improve, hospital days drop, and total costs come down."
Real children. Real HICU® success stories
Every HICU® referral represents a child whose hospital stay was measured in months—not days—and a family preparing to manage complex care at home.
From Hospital Hallways to Happy Birthdays: Trevor’s HICU® Journey Home
Before he could chase toy trucks or pretend to sail the seas as a pirate, Trevor spent nearly his entire first year of life at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. With specialized support from BAYADA HICU®, he was able to safely transition home, where he could finally run, play, and grow. For referral partners, Trevor’s story shows how BAYADA HICU® helps medically fragile children move from hospital to home while continuing to make meaningful progress.
For Drew, BAYADA HICU® certified nurses didn’t follow a generic protocol—they partnered with his hospital team and single mom to build a 12-week home transition plan around his extreme prematurity, trach and ventilator needs, and limited family support. His schedule, nursing coverage, and education were adjusted week by week as he stabilized, with clear goals for ventilator weaning, feeding, and mobility that matched exactly where he was in his recovery. Because his care plan was truly customized to him, Drew moved from a ventilator-dependent infant to a child walking independently, eating by mouth, and hitting milestones at home instead of in the hospital.
$0
Total cost of care savings
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Hospital days avoided
For Zaamira, BAYADA HICU® certified nurses shaped a plan around her first year spent largely in the hospital, her ventilator dependence, and her mom’s need for predictable, highly skilled support at home. Her first 12 weeks were structured to balance intensive respiratory management with developmental goals—gradually shifting her from full ventilator support to HME during waking hours while coaching her mom through each new skill and milestone. Because her care path was built specifically for her history and home environment, Zaamira was able to celebrate her first birthday at home, stay out of the hospital during her HICU® period, and quickly move into crawling, pulling to stand, and enjoying the outdoors with her mom.
$0
Total cost of care savings
0
Hospital days avoided
For Rita, BAYADA HICU® certified nurses started by designing a plan that reflected her exact reality—an 18‑month‑old with Turner syndrome, chronic respiratory failure, and multiple complex conditions coming home after a long inpatient stay. Her in‑home care, respiratory support, and family education were calibrated to her specific triggers and tolerances, then refined over time as nurses closely monitored her response, caught an early viral illness, and adjusted her regimen to keep her safe at home. Because her care path was built around her rather than a one‑size‑fits‑all protocol, Rita has been able to walk independently, rely on less respiratory support, and experience fewer episodes of nausea and vomiting while growing and thriving at home.
$0
Total cost of care savings
0
Hospital days avoided
For XAYNE, BAYADA HICU® certified nurses created a plan tailored to a very specific mix of needs: a 10‑month‑old with a tracheostomy, ventilator dependency, and a gastrostomy tube, all while preparing for a safe transition home. His first 12 weeks at home were structured to match that complexity—with comprehensive respiratory and feeding support, close monitoring, and ongoing, hands-on family education designed to keep him stable and out of the hospital. Because his care was tailored so intentionally to his age, devices, and home setting, Xayne was able to celebrate his first birthday at home and begin eating by mouth, all with zero rehospitalizations during his HICU® period.
$0
Total cost of care savings
0
Hospital days avoided
From Complex Airway to Confident Homecoming: Esme’s HICU® Story
Esme was born with a cervical and facial lymphatic malformation that extends to her epiglottis, leading to a prolonged inpatient stay and a highly complex plan of care. With the skilled support of the BAYADA HICU® team, she was able to transition safely home, where her family could confidently manage her needs in a familiar environment. For referral partners, Esme’s story demonstrates how BAYADA HICU® brings specialized, hospital-level care into the home for children with complex airway and lymphatic needs.
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How to refer a patient or start a conversation
To refer or learn more, call Karen Smith at 610-343-1000, email [email protected], or fill out the form below.