When a premature or critically ill newborn requires the most complex care, Maimonides Medical Center’s NICU is equipped to meet that need. As Brooklyn’s largest neonatal intensive care unit with 48 beds and a Level 4 designation from New York State, the Maimonides NICU manages the full spectrum of neonatal conditions, providing comprehensive management of infants born prematurely and those with complex respiratory disorders, neurological conditions, heart disease, gastrointestinal disorders, surgical conditions, and life-threatening infections. Referring providers have immediate on-site access to neonatologists and pediatric subspecialists.
Brooklyn’s most comprehensive neonatal resource
New York State designates NICUs on a scale of one to four, with Level 4 representing the highest tier of neonatal care. The Maimonides NICU holds that designation and serves as one of New York State’s Regional Perinatal Centers—a distinction held by just 17 facilities statewide.
In 2026, Maimonides Medical Center also earned Joint Commission verification as a Level IV maternal care facility for the first time, in addition to inaugural recognition as a U.S. News & World Report High-Performing Hospital for Maternity Care. This designation reinforces the depth of the institution’s perinatal infrastructure for the families and referring providers who depend on it.
NICU outcomes place Maimonides among New York’s leading medical centers
The NICU monitors clinical outcomes through participation in the Vermont Oxford Network, a nationally recognized quality collaborative that benchmarks performance on key measures such as chronic lung disease, intraventricular hemorrhage, and survival among premature and critically ill newborns. Maimonides consistently achieves outcomes that are comparable to, and in several areas exceed, those reported by leading academic medical centers in New York City, in addition to ranking in the top percentile compared to similar units across the city and the nation.
“Aside from specialized training, working in the NICU is an area of medicine in which compassion, empathy, and family-centered care go a long way,” says Alok Bhutada, MD, Chief of Newborn Medicine at Maimonides Medical Center. “We develop deep relationships with each family we serve. Regardless of how many patients we have at any given time, we learn each family’s needs and goals of care to provide the most positive experiences in some of their most challenging times.
“We place an immense importance on quality of care, attaining benchmarks of outcomes on par with the best institutions in New York City,” says Dr. Bhutada. “Our approach is centered around supporting each infant’s natural development, allowing us to achieve some incredible outcomes. We’ve seen babies born at 22 and 23 weeks leave this unit breathing on their own, without supplemental oxygen.”
Clinical capabilities built for the most complex cases
The NICU offers a full range of respiratory support, including high-frequency ventilation, inhaled nitric oxide, and noninvasive therapies, along with therapeutic hypothermia and continuous video EEG monitoring for infants with neurological injury. A multidisciplinary team including attending neonatologists, neonatal nurse practitioners, neonatal nurses, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, patient advocates, and social workers supports every admission, with immediate access to pediatric surgical and subspecialty consultation on-site.
24/7 attending coverage and family-centered care from admission through discharge
When patients come here, they have the confidence of knowing that a board-certified attending neonatologist is in the unit around the clock—not on call from home, but physically present and making decisions at any hour of the day or night. And when welcoming a new baby in the NICU, being close to home can make all the difference—allowing parents and their support systems to visit frequently, just a short journey away in any moment of need.
Families of NICU patients have 24-hour access to cameras at each bedside, allowing parents and relatives to see their infant remotely at any time from anywhere in the world. This feature supports family engagement through what is often a prolonged and stressful period. Before discharge, families spend time in a private room dedicated to learning hands-on infant care from a specialized team including social workers, lactation consultants, and WIC Program support to address the full range of each family’s unique needs.
“Being the closest NICU to where so many of our patients live is a huge positive for babies and families,” said Dr. Bhutada. “It allows parents to actively participate more in their child’s care, taking part in breastfeeding, kangaroo care, and other practices that promote healthy growth and development. Post-discharge, each NICU graduate has access to expert follow-up care from our team of pediatric subspecialists and benefits from programs designed around a proactive approach to health through the lifespan for babies born prematurely, such as our Neonatal Lung Health Program.”
To refer a newborn to the Maimonides NICU or to connect with a member of the neonatal team, call 718-854-3190.
