R Baby Heroes

Jason Hill

Each year, R Baby honors a hero that is committed to our mission to measurable improve pediatric emergency care. We are pleased to share R Baby’s 2021 hero, Dr. Jason Hill, a physician at New York Presbyterian Columbia University Medical Center.

As the challenges of COVID unfolded, our medical professionals were on the front lines every day. In unprecedented times, innovation was critical. R Baby donated 3-D printers to Columbia University’s Emergency Department to positively impact patients and medical personnel alike.

Dr. Hill, who helped spearhead this effort, and his colleagues were able to create face shields and other protective materials to protect workers, to help conserve hospital supplies of N95s and to share with other institutions. Additionally, it allowed for the creation of prototypes for other innovations, like enclosures that limit aerosolization of the virus during high-risk procedures such as intubation, fostering an innovation mindset with the ability to be agile to meet future needs.

He continues his innovative mindset and more recently has been using the printer to make several novel educational models for ultrasound teaching and other innovations.

The work of Dr. Hill and his colleagues has lead to multiple new collaborative partners and projects have evolved. While PPE is no longer an issue, as other issues arise, they now have new tools and collaborators. This work helped his hospital join in an international community doing similar work and whole new disciplines are rising up in innovation with colleagues who are building upon the work.

We are grateful to Dr. Hill for his innovation, creativity and tireless work at a time when we all needed him and his colleagues most!

— Phyllis Rabinowitz