Northern Westchester Hospital Collaborating with ACOG District II to Help Reduce the Number of Women Who Die in Pregnancy and Childbirth
Westchester County, NY (PRWEB) July 21, 2014 -- Northern Westchester Hospital today announced its collaboration with the New York State District of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG District II) on the Safe Motherhood Initiative (SMI). The project has one goal: to save the lives of women faced with severe complications related to pregnancy and childbirth.
Close to 99% of the nearly 250,000 live births in New York State result in the discharge of a mother and her baby. Yet, there are mothers who die or suffer severe permanent harm. In fact, New York State currently ranks 47th in the country for its maternal mortality rate.
The SMI focuses on implementing standard approaches for handling New York’s three leading causes of maternal death: Obstetric hemorrhage (severe bleeding), venous thromboembolism (blood clots), and severe hypertension in pregnancy (high blood pressure). ACOG District II is working with more than 100 obstetric and maternity care hospitals across New York State on standardized protocols for these events to help ensure every woman has a safe and healthy pregnancy and childbirth.
As part of the Safe Motherhood Initiative, a multidisciplinary, core team of nurses and physicians at Northern Westchester Hospital meets monthly to conduct performance review audits, lead emergency simulation drills, and hold workshops geared toward improving communication.
The SMI is funded by Merck for Mothers, Merck’s initiative to create a world where no woman dies giving life.
“The safety of mother and baby is our number one priority,” shared Dr. Navid Mootabar, Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northern Westchester Hospital. “We are proud to join Merck, ACOG and other obstetrics providers in this admirable mission.”
Northern Westchester Hospital is also one of the pioneering hospitals to incorporate M.O.R.E. OB (Managing Obstetrical Risk Efficiently) into staff training, and the Safe Motherhood Initiative dovetails nicely as we strive for continuous improvement by implementing programs that support our culture of patient safety,” added Dr. Mootabar.
The Co-Chairs of the Safe Motherhood Initiative are Mary D’Alton, MD, FACOG, and Cynthia Chazotte, MD, FACOG.
“For several months, obstetric experts developed and evaluated evidenced-based management plans for SMI hospitals,” Dr. D’Alton said. “These plans, also known as maternal safety bundles, consist of tools such as clinical education videos, algorithms, step-by-step checklists, and other hands-on materials.” Dr. Chazotte added, “Our objective is to help obstetric providers adopt uniform clinical protocols to improve the diagnosis, prevention, and management of the leading causes of maternal death. We are committed to working with Northern Westchester Hospital on the SMI - for the sake of women and their babies.”
About Northern Westchester Hospital
Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH) provides quality, patient centered care that is close to home through a unique combination of medical expertise, leading edge technology, and a commitment to humanity. Over 700 highly skilled physicians, state-of-the-art technology and professional staff of caregivers are all in place to ensure that you and your family receive treatment in a caring, respectful and nurturing environment.
NWH has established extensive internal quality measurements that surpass the standards defined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA) National Hospital Quality Measures. Our high quality standards help to ensure that the treatment you receive at NWH is among the best in the nation. For more information, please visit http://www.nwhc.net and connect with us on Facebook.
About ACOG District II
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, District II (ACOG) represents the board certified obstetrician-gynecologists in the state who deliver health care to New York's women. Our Albany office offers the New York State Legislature its resources as a scientific and educational organization dedicated to quality health care for women. Our commitment to professional excellence, combined with our choice to be a strong public advocate for women, has made ACOG one of the state’s most trusted and credible voices on all aspects of female health care. For more, visit http://www.acogny.org.
About Merck for Mothers
Merck for Mothers is a 10-year, $500 million initiative focused on creating a world where no woman dies giving life. Drawing on the company's history of discovering innovative, life-saving medicines and vaccines, Merck for Mothers is applying Merck's scientific and business expertise – as well as its financial resources and experience in taking on tough global healthcare challenges – to reduce maternal mortality around the world. Merck for Mothers is focused on access to quality care, product innovation, and awareness and advocacy. For more information, visit http://www.merckformothers.com and connect with us on Facebook.
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Contact:
Gretchen Mullin
Associate Director of Marketing and Communications
Northern Westchester Hospital
(914) 666-1266
gmullin(at)nwhc(dot)net
Mark Vincent, Northern Westchester Hospital, +1 (914) 666-1295, [email protected]
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