Ogden Regional Medical Center NICU expansion to bring more beds, support for families

OGDEN — Ogden Regional Medical Center has broken ground on a major expansion and renovation of its neonatal intensive care unit, a project hospital leaders said will allow them to care for more premature babies while giving families more privacy and support.

The renovated NICU will add 20 private patient suites and include a Ronald McDonald family room. The project is expected to be completed in 2027.

For families like Lauren Cardamone's, the expansion represents more than additional space.

Cardamone's daughter, Charlotte, was born at 23 weeks and five days, weighing just 1.5 pounds.

"I was ready to have a fall baby and start off the holiday season with a brand-new baby, and that did not happen," Cardamone said.

Charlotte remains in the NICU, where her mother spends her days at her bedside.

"My days are the exact same every single day," she said. "I come here for her rounds. We round with the providers and the nurses and the staff here. I hang out with her for a little bit. I do her 1 p.m. care, so I get to change her diaper. We reposition her, and I get to interact with her a little bit. Then I come back for her 7 p.m. cares and again, change her diaper. Hang out with her for a little bit. And then as of Sunday, I've been holding her for an extended period of time."

Cardamone said it was a fight to get Charlotte. After nine unsuccessful pregnancies and IVF, she got pregnant with her daughter. Cardamone said getting Charlotte to this point has been a long journey, and the fight isn't over.

"We'll be here for a little while longer, probably two months at least," she said.

Like many NICU parents, Cardamone has become familiar with every monitor, alarm and routine inside the unit. Families share space separated by curtains.

"When there's a bad day, it's a bad day, and other people can see it being a bad day," she said.

Hospital leaders said the renovation and expansion, plus private suites will create a more comfortable environment for families and allow parents to spend more one-on-one time with their babies.

"You can imagine being in the same space for months at a time," said neonatologist Scott Witt. "It's not something that we're used to as human beings, but having that space being something that is conducive to parents being able to have one-on-one personal touch time, personal space, time with the babies, it does make a difference."

Witt said updated technology and improved facilities can help support better outcomes for newborns while also strengthening family involvement during a critical stage of care.

"We have technology, and it is important to have the new, cutting-edge technology and knowledge and equipment, and we apply that," he said. "But all of that can be somewhat cumbersome, somewhat overwhelming to families and patients. And so having a place where we can give them the space to be a family and to be there to support their children makes a big difference."

The project is also expected to benefit families across northern Utah and neighboring states. The Ronald McDonald family room will provide a place for parents traveling long distances to stay closer to their babies during treatment.

Cardamone said having a Level III NICU close to home has made a difficult situation more manageable for her family. For many parents, she said, receiving specialized neonatal care in Ogden instead of commuting farther south to Salt Lake City can ease some of the burden during an already stressful time.

"This is amazing," Cardamone said. "I'm excited for them to be able to get the support here and for the staff to be able to do it for more families."

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