Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Every year, ten percent of babies born at Hillcrest are admitted into our Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit — the only one in McLennan County.  Most often referred to as "NICU," this special intensive care nursery is designed for seriously ill and premature infants. Before Hillcrest's NICU opened in 1990, these infants had to be transferred out of town for specialized care. Now, more than 4,500 babies have been treated in the Hillcrest NICU.

Darrell S. Wheeler, MD
Hillcrest's Level III NICU opened in September 1990 under the medical direction of Dr. Wheeler, a board certified Neonatologist. Dr. Wheeler has touched the lives of thousands of children and their families through his own specialized way of providing care to these special newborns. With he and his wife having lost their own set of twins at 20 gestational weeks, Dr. Wheeler knows firsthand the pain and anxiety parents of seriously-ill newborns suffer. Hillcrest is fortunate to have Waco's only Neonatologist in Dr. Darrell Wheeler.

Visiting Your Child
Parents and grandparents of children in the NICU are encouraged to visit, but no more than two people at a time are allowed at the child's bedside. Should the staff need to perform certain medical procedures or accommodate other patient admissions, the doctors and/or nurses may request that visitors leave the unit temporarily. Visiting hours are ANYTIME EXCEPT 6:30 - 8 a.m. and 6:30 - 8 p.m. Parents may call anytime to check on their child by phoning 202-2900 and asking for the nurse taking care of your baby.