WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (February 13, 2015) — White Plains Hospital has been part of the Safe Motherhood Initiative (SMI) since its inception last spring. The SMI is a state-wide effort of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) District II in New York State. The SMI’s goal is to decrease morbidity and mortality during pregnancy and childbirth.
The Safe Motherhood Initiative focuses on three specific areas: Obstetric hemorrhage (severe bleeding), severe hypertension (high blood pressure), and venothromboembolism (blood clots). ACOG works with more than 100 hospitals throughout New York, providing participating hospitals with standardized protocols, toolkits, and in-person training.
The Safe Motherhood Initiative has been implemented at White Plains Hospital by Jay Lupin, MD, Director, Obstetrics & Gynecology; Jane Ciaramella, MS, RNC-OB, C-EFM, IBCLC, Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist; and Bonnie Thompson, BSN ,RNC-OB, C-EFM, CNML, Nurse Manager. Dr. Lupin states, “We already have an excellent track record when it comes to patient safety. With the Safe Motherhood Initiative, we are using evidence based protocols to ensure that every patient giving birth at White Plains Hospital has a positive experience.”
“The Safe Motherhood Initiative has already resulted in improvements such as getting our patients quicker access to needed medications during hemorrhage, through better placement of medication and communication with our pharmacy,” says Jane Ciaramella. As part of the SMI, White Plains Hospital staff meet on a regular basis, conduct training drills, and post information throughout the labor and delivery unit to improve outcomes in maternal health.
The Safe Motherhood Initiative is provided at no cost to participating hospitals. The SMI is the result of a grant provided to ACOG District II from Merck for Mothers, a philanthropic campaign focused on eliminating maternal mortality.
About White Plains Hospital
A member of the Montefiore Health System, White Plains Hospital (WPH) is a 292-bed not-for-profit health care organization with the primary mission of providing exceptional acute and preventive medical care to all people who live in, work in or visit Westchester County and its surrounding areas. Centers of Excellence include the Dickstein Cancer Center, The William & Sylvia Silberstein Neonatal & Maternity Center and The Ruth and Jerome A. Siegel Stroke Center. The Hospital’s Flanzer Emergency Department is the busiest in Westchester County, seeing over 55,000 visits a year. White Plains Hospital is the only community hospital in Westchester County to perform lifesaving emergency & elective angioplasty in its Joan and Alan Herfort, M.D. Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. The Hospital is fully accredited by the Joint Commission and earned its recognition as a Top Performer for Key Quality Measures® in 2013. The Hospital is also an eleven-time winner of the Consumer Choice Award, an honor given to the nation’s top hospitals by the National Research Corporation, and received Magnet® designation in 2012 from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). In 2014 White Plains Hospital received the Outstanding Patient Experience Award from Healthgrades®, given to only 5% of hospitals nationwide. For additional information, visit http://www.wphospital.org.
About ACOG District II
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, District II (ACOG) represents over 4,000 members who deliver health care to New York’s women. ACOG District II offers New York State Legislature its resources as a scientific and educational organization dedicated to quality health care for women. ACOG’s commitment to professional excellence, combined with the 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 health care for women. For more information, 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. Merck is committed to using their business and scientific expertise to improve maternal health and are already working in more than 30 countries around the world, including the U.S. See more at: http://www.merckformothers.com.