CAMDEN, NJ – Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center closed its inpatient pediatric unit this week, primarily due to under-use of the nine-bed unit.

Wendy Marano, director of public relations for the Lourdes Health System, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that pediatric admissions at Lourdes have declined for 15 to 20 years because of improvements in medical procedures and preventive care. Fewer than 300 patients used the pediatric unit in 2008.

Lourdes Health System operates the 410-bed Camden hospital.

Children that do need to be admitted will be transferred to nearby Cooper University Hospital. The Cooper pediatric unit has 23 regular and six intensive-care beds.

Lourdes intends to focus on outpatient services for children and teens. Maternity, prenatal, and neonatal care will be unaffected by the closure.

The pediatric unit was staffed by 10 full-time registered nurses. A Lourdes' spokesperson said the hospital's human-resources department is working with these nurses to find them other positions in the Health System.