Following a lead gift from c-store retailer OnCue, Stillwater Medical and Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health recently cut the ribbon to the new OnCue Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the only Level II in north-central Oklahoma with a dedicated neonatologist and 24-hour neonatal nurse practitioner coverage. This $2.5 million investment brings advanced care to the region, reducing the need for patient transport.
The OnCue NICU will open for patients in mid-March, offering a brighter future for families and newborns in Stillwater and surrounding communities.
OnCue provided the lead gift to name the facility. President of OnCue, Laura Aufleger, shared her moving story about the challenges her family faced when receiving neonatal care while previously living in Dallas.
“Our experience inspired us to ensure families in Stillwater have access to the same elevated level of care, closer to home,” Aufleger said.
The OnCue NICU features 10 nurseries, a C-section procedure room, a lactation room, family spaces, and state-of-the-art technology to provide critical care for the community’s most vulnerable patients. These patients, typically at or after 32 weeks gestation, will receive monitoring and treatment for conditions like jaundice, feeding issues, or mild respiratory complications, while being cared for by a team of neonatologists, specialized nurses, and respiratory therapists.
“By bringing specialized care closer to home, we ensure that newborns receive the high-level medical attention they need without the added stress of traveling long distances,” said Dr. Trent Tipple, M.D., FAAP, Chief of Neonatology at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital. “Having care closer to home means families can stay in their communities while their children receive treatment rather than traveling to Oklahoma City or Tulsa. This facility ensures that even when higher levels of care are needed, the transition will be seamless, minimizing the disruption to families and their support systems.”