March of Dimes Recognizes Two LifeBridge Health Hospitals for Their Work to Give More Babies a Healthy Start in Life
Baltimore, MD - Teams from Sinai Hospital and Carroll Hospital, both LifeBridge Health centers, have been honored for their work to reduce the number of elective inductions and cesarean deliveries before 39 completed weeks of pregnancy.
The March of Dimes, in collaboration with the Maryland Patient Center and the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, recognized hospitals in Maryland that have achieved certain standards, including policies to avoid scheduling deliveries before 39 weeks of pregnancy, and that have a commitment to improving the quality of care for mothers and babies.
"At LifeBridge Health, our purpose statement is "˜Caring for Our Communities Together.' This achievement at both Sinai and Carroll hospitals certainly shows how that is true. We are so proud of our expert and caring teams of physicians, nurses and other staff who are committed to doing all they can to improve to help people in our communities, including mothers and babies," says Neil Meltzer, president and CEO of LifeBridge Health.
The hospital recognition is part of the March of Dimes' "Healthy Babies Are Worth the Wait" campaign, which urges women to wait for labor to begin on its own (if their pregnancy is healthy) rather than scheduling deliver before 39 completed weeks of pregnancy. According to the March of Dimes, babies born too early may have more problems at birth and later in life.
"The last weeks of pregnancy are important. Babies aren't just putting on weight. They are undergoing important development of the brain, lungs and other vital organs," said Scott Berns, MD, MPH, senior vice president and deputy medical director for the March of Dimes. "I commend Sinai and Carroll hospitals for being champions for babies with their quality improvement efforts."
March of Dimes representatives visited both Sinai and Carroll hospitals to present team members with a special banner to commemorate their achievement.
LifeBridge Health is one of the largest, most comprehensive providers of health services in Maryland. LifeBridge Health includes Sinai Hospital, Northwest Hospital, Carroll Hospital, Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital, and related subsidiaries and affiliates. For more information, visit lbhstaging22.lifebridgehealth.org.
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