Northern Light named to best maternity care list

photo: Newsweek: www.newsweek.com/best-maternity-care-hospitals-2020

Northern Light Inland Hospital has been named to Newsweek’s 2020 list of Best Maternity Care Hospitals. The distinction recognizes facilities that have excelled in providing care to mothers, newborns and their families, as verified by the 2019 Leapfrog Hospital Survey. Best Maternity Care Hospitals is part of Newsweek’s Best Health Care series, powered by data from The Leapfrog Group. Inland Hospital is one of only five in Maine and fewer than 250 hospitals nationwide to receive the prestigious accolade

“We are very proud to be named to such an impressive list,” said Terri Vieira, president of Inland Hospital. “Inland’s Birthing Center is known for its excellent, safe care and for its skilled and caring providers and staff. We are a healthcare family that loves to take care of other families.”

Hospitals named as a Best Maternity Care Hospital have fully met The Leapfrog Group’s standards for maternity care on evidence-based, nationally standardized metrics. This includes lower rates of early elective delivery, primary C-section rates, and episiotomy, as well as compliance with process measures including newborn bilirubin screening prior to discharge and blood clot prevention techniques for mothers delivering via C-section.

“We take the safety of our moms and babies very seriously,” noted William Bradfield, MD, chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Inland Hospital. “We are very excited about this award because it recognizes that safety is our top priority. We hope it gives expecting families confidence in us to see that we are doing everything possible to keep them safe and healthy.”

Courtney Cook, RN, birthing director explains that, “We also provide valuable services to make sure moms and babies are healthy beyond the birth experience, such as our In Touch program that connects moms to a nurse 24/7 so they can ask questions or raise concerns after they get home. In addition, our lactation program, breastfeeding support group, and our postpartum support group (called Tree of Hope) all help keep moms healthy and empowered as their bodies change after their labor of love.”

“Best Maternity Care Hospitals showcases an elite group of hospitals from across the country,” said Nancy Cooper, Global Editor in Chief of Newsweek. “These facilities stand out for the care they provide to women and families, and for giving babies a strong start to life. Particularly in these uncertain times, we are honored to share this list of top-ranked facilities with Newsweek’s readership.”

The full list of recipients is available at newsweek.com/best-maternity-care-hospitals-2020.

For more information about the Birthing Center at Inland Hospital, please call 861-3100 or visit northernlighthealth.org/Inland-Hospital.