Daytona Beach, FL (PRWEB) August 04, 2014
On June 26, Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center (http://www.floridahospitalmemorial.org) was honored by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) District XII (Florida) and the March of Dimes for reducing the number of early elective inductions and cesarean deliveries. Early elective deliveries can cause lifelong health challenges for the baby, including breathing difficulty, cerebral palsy, and learning disabilities. Even babies born just a few weeks early have higher rates of hospitalization and illness than full-term infants.
Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center is the only hospital in both Volusia and Flagler counties to meet the criteria to qualify for this distinction, which includes achieving a rate of 5 percent or lower for elective deliveries before 39 completed weeks of pregnancy and implementing policies to prevent such deliveries.
"Studies have shown that deliveries that are scheduled for convenience or other non-medical reasons may increase harm to infants, increase health care costs, and worsen medical outcomes," said Dr. Robert Yelverton, Chair of ACOG District XII. "We are extremely pleased with Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center's participation."
In an average week in Florida, 549 babies are born preterm and 29 die before their first birthday, many times as a result of their early births.
"We are delighted to recognize Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center and present this commemorative banner to them for adhering to standards that directly benefit the health of babies," said Dr. Karen Harris, Chair of the Program Services Committee for the March of Dimes Florida Chapter. "The last few weeks of pregnancy are extremely important for the baby's brain and lung development, among other organs, so we want to commend this momentous achievement."
"We're proud of our expert team of physicians and nurses who tackled this important community issue. By developing and implementing department policies to avoid scheduling deliveries before 39 weeks of pregnancy, except when medically necessary, our BirthCare Center has supported best practices for reducing early elective deliveries," said Becky Vernon, Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center director of women and children's services. "This is a reflection of our commitment to providing the best care for mothers and babies."
March of Dimes and ACOG District XII (Florida) have also worked with the Florida Hospital Association, the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative and other partners to provide resources and support to hospitals across the state. This joint effort enabled many hospitals to make great progress in reducing their rates of early elective delivery.
For a list of hospitals that qualified for the special recognition banner and of those that have pledged to eliminate non-medically indicated deliveries before 39 weeks, visit http://www.marchofdimes.com/florida or http://www.acog12.org.
About Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center
Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center is a member of Adventist Health System, a faith-based health care organization with 45 hospital campuses and nearly 8,300 licensed beds in 10 states. With more than 1,800 employees and employed physicians, Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center is a nonprofit health-care organization committed to hope, health and healing. A recipient of the 2012 Florida Governor's Sterling Award for performance excellence, Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center is a national leader in patient experience. Our locations include Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center and Florida Hospital Cancer Institute in Daytona Beach, Florida Hospital Oceanside in Ormond Beach, an outpatient facility in Port Orange, and an imaging center in Ormond Beach. Additionally, Florida Hospital Oceanside is home to the area's only inpatient rehabilitation facility with CARF accreditation for stroke care. For more information, call (386) 231-6000 or visit http://www.floridahospitalmemorial.org.