The Tennessee Health Services and Development Agency this week approved the Certificate of Need for expansion of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. “The expansion will allow us to integrate Obstetrics into the expanded Children’s Hospital environment,” said Kevin Churchwell, M.D., chief executive officer for Children’s Hospital. “Now we have the approval to move forward with the operational planning.” The new building will house 190 new and relocated obstetrical, pediatric and neonatal intensive care beds. Obstetrical and NICU beds currently in the main hospital will be relocated to the new building, which will be adjacent, and attached to, the existing Children’s Hospital. The 190 beds in the new building will consist of 90 pediatric critical care beds, 36 NICU beds, 36 obstetrical beds, 16 labor and delivery rooms, and 12 antepartum beds. The total licensed beds for the Medical Center will increase to 1,051. Eight additional operating rooms were also approved. “The approved expansion will be a great benefit to the patients, families and communities that we serve,” said Brent Polk, M.D., interim chair of the Department of Pediatrics. Ron Hill, vice president for Strategic Development for Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said the agency recognized the hospital’s essential role in improving pediatric care in the region.