Neonatal Outreach Program

Program Overview

The Children's Health℠ Neonatal Outreach Program supports community providers through collaboration, education and responsive communication. Our goal is to build strong, ongoing partnerships that enhance neonatal care across Texas and beyond.

We offer access to continuing education, clinical resources and peer-to-peer connection with our neonatal team. Whether it’s sharing best practices, providing updates or helping connect with the right contact at Children’s Health, our program is here to make collaboration easier and more effective.

Our Mission

To provide timely, service-oriented support and resources that empower neonatal teams to deliver high-quality care, by:

Ensuring direct access to our team for questions, updates and care coordination
Sharing current guidelines, protocols and educational opportunities
Enhancing local care delivery through collaboration and knowledge exchange

For questions, education requests or help connecting with our team, please contact the Neonatal Outreach Program: neonataloutreach@childrens.com

You can also reach out to the following contacts:

Abhishek Makkar, MD Neonatologist, Medical Director, Neonatal Outreach Program
Pam Ramirez, BSN, Neonatal Outreach Nurse Coordinator (contact Pam for update requests for transferred patients)

Education and training resources

A. Neonatal Insights Series

Neonatal Insights is an ongoing, monthly virtual education series designed to keep community providers up to date on important topics in neonatal care. Each session features speakers from a range of specialties across Children’s Health, presenting on current guidelines, clinical best practices and emerging trends relevant to neonatal teams. The series includes interactive Q&A and is open to all providers involved in neonatal care. CME, CNE and MOC Part 2 credit are offered at no cost, supporting continued learning and collaboration across Texas and beyond.

2026/2027 Webinar schedule

November 13, 2026
Small Bowel, Big Probrlem: What You Need to Know About NEC
Pritha Nayak, M.D., Neonatologist
Portal - Event Details
December 11, 2026
The Yellow Baby: A Clinical Approach to Neonatal Jaundice
Jessica Morse, M.D., Pediatric Hospitalist
Portal - Event Details
January 14, 2027
Newborn Resuscitation Essentials: What’s New in NRP?
Myra Wycoff, M.D., Neonatologist and
Vishal Kapadia, M.D., Neonatologist
February 11, 2027
From First Signs to Stabilization: Managing Congenital Heart Disease in Newborns
Penn Laird, M.D., Pediatric Cardiologist
March 12, 2027
Newborn Safety in Practice: Safe Sleep, Car Seat Testing, and Beyond
Marisa Abbe., PhD, CPSTI
April 9, 2027
Optimizing Nutrition in Preterm Infants: Evidence-Based Strategies for Growth and Outcomes
Rachel Mills, Registered Dietician
May 14, 2027
Fetal Medicine: Prenatal to Postnatal Care for Congenital Anomalies
June Hu, M.D., Neonatologist
June 11, 2027
From Etiology to Outcome: A Practical Approach to Neonatal Seizures
Michelle Machie, M.D., Neonatologist
July 9, 2027
PPHN in Practice: From Bedside Management to ECMO Referral
Marina santos Oren, M.D., Neonatologist and
Syed Ahmed, M.D., Neonatologist
August 13, 2027
Birth Injuries in the Newborn: Early Recognition and Management, Including Subgaleal Hemorrhage
Dimitrios Angelis, M.D., Neonatologist
September 10, 2027
Neonatal Hypotension: When to Treat and How?
Abhishek Makkar, M.D., Neonatologist
October 08, 2027
Ethical Challenges in Newborn Care: Navigating Refusal of Essential Therapies and Preventive Interventions
Charles Herrin, M.D., Neonatologist and
Stephen Couch, Clinical Ethicist
November 12, 2027
Basics of Neonatal Transport: Stabilization, Communication, and Transfer
Chelsea Johnson, M.D., Neonatologist and
Jamie Glass, RN, Neonatal Transport
December 10,2027
Managing Neonatal HIE: From Diagnosis to Therapeutic Hypothermia
Lina Chalak, M.D., Neonatologist

All sessions are held virtually from 12:00 – 1:00 PM CT and are eligible for CME, CNE and MOC Part 2 credit. Previous lecture recordings are available at the registration link.

Neonatal care guidelines and additional clinical resources

We’re committed to supporting neonatal teams with up-to-date guidelines and practical resources that can be applied in day-to-day care. Below are current protocols and reference materials shared by the Children’s Health NICU team.

Comprehensive Neonatal Care Guidelines

The information, including but not limited to text, graphics, images and other material contained herein is for informational purposes only. While efforts are made to ensure the accuracy and currency of the information, UT Southwestern makes no guarantees and assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. No material herein is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. No physician-patient relationship is created by this content or its use. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen. In the event of a medical emergency, call 911 or seek immediate care from the nearest emergency facility. UT Southwestern disclaims any liability for any injury, loss, or damage incurred as a result of using or relying on the information provided herein. Neither UT Southwestern nor its employees, nor any contributor to this content, makes any representations, express or implied, with respect to the information provided herein or to its use. All copyrights to the UT Southwestern web site and its contents are the property of UT Southwestern unless otherwise noted.

Upcoming conferences and symposiums

A PLUS Conference

Lung and Brain Protective Respiratory Support Strategies for Extremely Preterm Infants

November 14, 2026
Moody Outpatient Center | Parkland Health
Dallas, TX

The APLUS Conference is a one-day live event equipping neonatology professionals (physicians, fellows, residents, nurses, advance practice providers, and respiratory therapists) with the latest methodologies and evidence in noninvasive respiratory support for extremely preterm infants. Through four hours of didactic sessions and three hours of hands-on training, participants will gain expertise in respiratory management of premature infants, delivering effective CPAP, management of hypoxic respiratory insufficiency and evidence-based strategies for preventing bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Attendees will learn about the cutting-edge management strategies to improve survival of infants delivered at 22-23 weeks gestational age (GA). These infants are at higher risk of mortality and morbidity. Speakers will discuss respiratory, hemodynamic and skin care management of these infants during the critical first weeks of life. In addition, during the didactic session, we will also have experts discuss ways involving parents in the care of their infants and improving the outcomes. Other key topics include delivery room stabilization, the use of Less Invasive Surfactant Administration (LISA) and Surfactant administration through Laryngeal or Supraglottic Airway (SALSA) techniques. Interactive workshops with hands-on training and simulation exercises will enhance practical skills. Led by a faculty with extensive expertise and multiple publications, the conference promises a high-quality learning experience that advances neonatal respiratory care.

Learn more and register

Neonatal Brain Matters Symposium – Spring 2027

The annual Neonatal Brain Matters Symposium brings together global leaders dedicated to advancing neurocritical care across the perinatal continuum. The conference highlights innovative strategies that bridge fetal and neonatal neurology, uniting clinicians, researchers and educators to improve outcomes for the most vulnerable patients. International experts, including Drs. Gabriel Variane, Munish Gupta and Khorshid Mohammad, will present leading-edge insights into multimodal monitoring, data-driven quality improvement and transformative neurocritical care practices.

The program also features immersive technology demonstrations, hands-on workshops in cranial sonography and brain imaging and discussions of collaborative quality initiatives from Parkland, UT Southwestern and Children’s Health^SMteams.

Registration site will be available Fall 2026.

Additional Resources for Providers

TeleNICU Program

Children’s Health offers 24/7 TeleNICU consultations to support neonatal care teams with real-time access to our neonatologists. Through secure video technology, providers can receive immediate guidance on patient management, stabilization and transfer decisions.

Learn more about our TeleNICU program →

For questions about TeleNICU services, please contact Elyse Clark, Director, Telemedicine Clinical Outreach. (email hyperlinked)

Transfer a patient or request patient status updates

To refer or transfer a neonatal patient to Children’s Health, please contact the Children's Health Access Center, available 24/7 to assist with admissions, provider-to-provider consults and transport coordination.