The UTMB Angleton-Danbury Campus (ADC) is in the midst of an exciting transformation in neonatal care. Earlier this year, UTMB’s Department of Pediatrics began overseeing the ADC neonatal nursery, with Sunil Jain, MD, named Medical Director.
The nursery is currently a Level I facility, providing care for infants born at 35 weeks and above. Dr. Jain’s vision is to elevate the nursery to Level II – an important goal to increase patient satisfaction and offer more comprehensive care to Brazoria County patients.
“Once we achieve Level II status, we can keep more babies close to their families,” he says. “That means fewer transfers to Galveston or Houston and a much better experience for parents.”
Attaining Level II status will allow the team to care for babies as early as 32 weeks gestation. Previously under the direction of UTMB’s Community-Based Clinics, the nursery’s move under the Department of Pediatrics aligns resources to enhance growth, ensure sustainability, and help achieve this goal.
This upgrade involves several critical steps, with progress already under way. Staffing has been strengthened, with the addition of two neonatal hospitalists, Susan Gerik, MD, and Ebe Aigbivbalu, MD, and two nurse practitioners, Molly Thomas, RN, MSN, CCRN, NNP-BC, and Jordan Harmon, PNP.
Additional hires are planned to ensure 24/7 coverage. Dr. Jain also emphasizes the importance of training and is planning opportunities for ADC nurses to spend time at UTMB Galveston. With NICU training, they can learn how to manage respiratory distress, hypoglycemia, and other higher acuity conditions.
Community engagement is another priority. Monthly deliveries at ADC have recently increased from the mid-30s to high 40s, with the Departments of Pediatrics and Ob/Gyn collaborating to increase that volume further prior to applying for Level II status.
“We’re working with local Ob/Gyns and pediatricians,” Dr. Jain shares. “I want families to know that their babies can receive safe, high-quality care right here in Brazoria County.”
Dr. Jain is quick to credit a team effort, citing strong collaboration with Rosanna Moreno, ADC Administrator; Stephen K. Jones, Vice President of Regional Hospitals and Health System Strategy; and Jessica Oliveira, Service Line Director, as well as the nurses and nurse manager Cassandra DeLaCruz.
He gives foremost thanks to department chair Sanjeev Tuli, MD, MEd, and former chair and longtime division chief C. Joan Richardson, MD, whose trust and confidence in him have been crucial to the progress so far.
The benefits of upgrading to Level II go beyond patient experience, as the ability to care for babies born earlier means additional revenue for UTMB. He is hopeful to achieve this by summer 2026.
“We have the infrastructure, the vision, and the team,” he says. “Now it’s about execution.”
Dr. Jain’s passion for neonatal care is equally evident in his leadership of UTMB’s Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship, which he has directed since 2021.
“This is my real passion,” he says. “Working with young fellows keeps me energized.”
The fellowship offers unique opportunities, including the option to pursue a Master of Medical Science (MMS) degree, fully supported by UTMB. Research collaborations are also expanding, with projects focused on preterm labor and neonatal outcomes. Simulation training is another innovation, with trainees gaining hands-on experience with a manikin modeled after a 27-week preterm infant.
Dr. Jain has also prioritized succession planning, appointing Maria Franco Fuenmayor, MD, and Charles Mullins, MD, as associate program directors. Both are graduates of the fellowship program and, as Dr. Jain shares, a testament to its strength.
“One day, I want to hand over the baton to them. You never know what the future holds, and you have to have a plan,” he says.
Recruitment is a challenge due to competition from larger programs in Houston, but Dr. Jain’s strategy involves visiting pediatric residency programs that do not have fellowships, giving grand rounds talks and inviting residents to rotate at UTMB to see the value of the program firsthand.
This year the program will expand from one new fellow admitted per year to two – which Dr. Jain aims to eventually increase to three. He says he would be proud to make this program growth his legacy at UTMB.
“There is no doubt we need more fellowship-trained neonatologists. Expanding our program ensures we meet that demand while advancing education and research. New ideas, new innovation – that’s what drives progress,” he says.
 | Sunil Jain, MD, serves as Medical Director of the Level I Neonatal Nursery at Angleton Danbury Campus and Director of the Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Program. He also sees patients at the Primary Care Pavilion in Galveston. Learn more about labor and delivery services, including the neonatal nursery, at ADC. |