ABOUT US
Community Neonatal Associates is a group of neonatologists, pediatricians, and neonatal nurse practitioners that provides care for premature and sick infants within the Holy Cross Health System. With close to 10,000 births annually, including nearly 1,500 high-risk deliveries, ours is the largest neonatal intensive care program in the state of Maryland.
Our dedicated team works collaboratively with neonatal nurses, therapists, dietitians, social workers, chaplains, and care coordinators to provide optimal care for babies with a broad range of conditions, including extreme prematurity, birth defects, and surgical conditions, including complex congenital heart disease.
Due to the myriad needs of our patients, we partner with other specialists at Children's National Medical Center and in private practices to provide the best comprehensive care for our patients and families.
Our services include:
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Prenatal Consultation
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Feeding and Breastfeeding Support
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Social Work Services
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Care Coordination
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Never Alone Program
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Spiritual Care
Family-centered Care
We embrace a partnership between staff and families in all aspects of care. We encourage parents to be present in the NICU and participate in hands-on care of their infants right from the start, including doing "kangaroo" (skin-to-skin) care as soon as is safely possible. We strive for clear and open communication at all times. Families are updated throughout the day and night by the nursing staff and daily by the medical team on their infant's specific progress and plan. Families are welcome and encouraged to participate in weekly multidisciplinary rounds.
Breastfeeding Support
Breast milk provides optimal nutrition for infants and is a critically important part of the care of premature infants, in particular. We encourage mothers to pump breast milk while their infants are too small or sick to breastfeed, and then we help mothers and infants learn to breastfeed together. Our nurses are highly experienced in supporting breastfeeding, and we have certified lactation consultants who work with mothers to optimize breast milk production and, eventually, breastfeeding itself. We provide bottles, labels, and in-hospital freezers to store breast milk for our infants, and we assist families with obtaining a breast pump to use while their infant is in the hospital.
Clinical Excellence
We are committed to clinical excellence for each and every baby. Our NICU participates in several research and quality improvement networks, including the national Vermont-Oxford Network and the Maryland Perinatal Research Collaborative.
OUR NICU CARE TEAM
NEONATOLOGIST
A neonatologist is a physician specially trained to care for sick and premature newborn infants, having completed a 3 year fellowship in neonatal-perinatal medicine after a 3 year pediatric residency.
NEONATAL NURSE PRACTITIONER
A neonatal nurse practitioner (NNP) is an advanced practice registered nurse who assesses, supervises, and manages NICU patients in consultation and collaboration with the neonatologists.
PEDIATRIC HOSPITALIST
A pediatric hospitalist is a physician who has completed a 3 year pediatric residency and dedicates his or her practice to the hospital setting.
18
Neonatal and Pediatric Physicians
1,400
NICU Graduates Annually
200+
Years Experience
14
Neonatal Nurse
Practitioners
NEONATOLOGISTS
Chrys Gaitatzes, M.D., Ph.D.
Neonatologist
Medical Director, Holy Cross
Silver Spring
Zaneta Forson-Dare, MBBS
Neonatologist
Sharon Kiernan, M.D.
Neonatologist
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Johnna Mahony, M.D.
Neonatologist
Jessica McAdoo, M.D.
Neonatologist
Vice President, CNA
Matthew Picard, M.D., M.P.H.
Neonatologist
Treasurer, CNA
John Rouhani, M.D., M.B.A.
Neonatologist
Medical Director, Holy Cross Germantown
President, CNA
Stephanie Sheppard, M.D.
Neonatologist
Secretary, CNA
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Ashley Sherwood, M.D.
Neonatologist
Part time Neonatologist
Jay Dintaman, M.D.
Neonatologist
Gregory Downing, D.O.
Neonatologist
Dora Rioja Mazza, M.D.
Neonatologist
Janel Hino, M.D.
Neonatologist
Dawn Walton, M.D.
Neonatologist
NEONATAL NURSE PRACTITIONERS
Susan Basile, NNP-BC
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Jenny Berg, NNP-BC
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Cheri Byrd, NNP-BC
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Lilly Hull, M.S.N., NNP-BC
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Mary Smith, NNP-BC
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Laura Rogers, M.S.N., NNP-BC
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Alison Newman M.S.N., NNP-BC
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Lee Walker, NNP-BC
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Susanah Reed, NNP-BC
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Alanna Dessouky, NNP-BC
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Debbie Ryan, NNP-BC
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
PEDIATRIC HOSPITALISTS
Anand Bundi, M.D.
Pediatric Hosptialist
Simran Kalra, M.D.
Pediatric Hosptialist
OFFICE MANAGER
Nicole Gignac
HAPPY FAMILIES
Our twin daughters surprised us and entered the world at 29 weeks gestation. We were supposed to deliver at a different hospital, but they were full and redirected us to Holy Cross. We are thankful this happened because the moment we first laid our eyes on our daughters in the NICU, we knew they would be in good hands until they were able to come home.
The nurses in the Holy Cross NICU have really taken the time to get to know our kids and to know us. With all the different machines, sounds, and alarms, the NICU could be a scary place. Instead of that reality, the nurses explain the purpose of each machine and they also incorporate us into our daughters' care. As first time parents, we are learning from sincere professionals during this experience.
They also have outstanding nurse practitioners and doctors. They include you in deciding the care plan for your children, explain the reasons behind all of their decisions, and take the time to answer any and all questions you have. This brings us a level of ease and comfort while our girls are still in the hospital.
We have learned so much during this experience from people who genuinely care about our family, and want the best for our daughters. While the extended hospital stay is challenging, we know every single day they are in good hands with the NICU staff at Holy Cross and we are thankful for it.
~ The Berger / Marshall family
La experiencia mas buena fue el cuidado de mi niño Jayson. La maquinaria que usaron el cuidado de el fue muy delicado y fue la experiencia mas buena que tuve. Gracias a todas las enfermeras y doctoras que cuidaron de el. Gracias.
~ S. Martinez
My baby was born at 24 weeks. He weighed 723 grams (1 pound 9 ounces). IT WAS SCARY!!! But the NICU staff were awesome. The nurses made sure I was comfortable each time I came to visit (and my visits lasted HOURS). They answered all my questions. Some I asked several times. The doctors were GREAT. I had daily updates, detailed updates. The doctors and nurses encouraged me and assured me my little boy was going to be okay. We stayed in the NICU 95 days!!! As difficult as it was, the NICU staff made it "doable." They made smiling possible.
~ L. Achu
CONTACT US
Send Us Mail
Community Neonatal Associates
1500 Forest Glen Road
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
Call Us
Holy Cross Hospital NICU: (301) 754-7600
Holy Cross Germantown Hospital NICU: (301) 557-6600
Billing Office: (866) 256-1146
Administrative Office: (301) 754-7490