Planning for a healthy pregnancy and delivery.Planning for a healthy pregnancy begins long before you get pregnant and planning where to have your baby is just as important. In addition to making sure that you take your 400 mg. of Folic acid folic acid: see coenzyme; vitamin. folic acid or folate Organic compound essential to animal growth and health and needed by bacteria as a growth factor. and abstain from abstain from verb refrain from, avoid, decline, give up, stop, refuse, cease, do without, shun, renounce, eschew, leave off, keep from, forgo, withhold from, forbear, desist from, deny yourself, kick ( alcohol and smoking, it is equally important to choose a physician and hospital facility that meets both yours and your new baby's needs. Below are some critical questions to ask of your obstetrician obstetrician /ob·ste·tri·cian/ (ob?ste-trish´in) one who practices obstetrics. ob·ste·tri·cian n. A physician who specializes in obstetrics. as well as some features to look for in a hospital. Questions to ask your doctor: * Where did you do your training? * Are you board certified board certified, adj the status of a dental specialist such as an orthodontist who has become a board diplomate by successfully completing the certification program of the recognized certification board in that area of practice. in obstetrics? * Where do you deliver your babies and how many have you delivered? * How long have you been in practice? * Do you have partners I will need to meet? * Who will be at the birth? * Who is on-call if you are unavailable? * How do I contact you between visits if I have concerns or I am in labor? * How often do you perform c-sections? * Can I have a pre-planned c-section if I want? * What to look for in a hospital: * Is there a high-risk unit? * Is there a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Noun 1. neonatal intensive care unit - an intensive care unit designed with special equipment to care for premature or seriously ill newborn NICU ICU, intensive care unit - a hospital unit staffed and equipped to provide intensive care and what is the neonatal mortality Noun 1. neonatal mortality - the death rate during the first 28 days of life neonatal mortality rate death rate, deathrate, fatality rate, mortality rate, mortality - the ratio of deaths in an area to the population of that area; expressed per 1000 per year (by weight classification)? * Is there an on-site anesthesiologist Anesthesiologist A medical specialist who administers an anesthetic to a patient before he is treated. Mentioned in: Anesthesia, General, Appendectomy, Parathyroidectomy anesthesiologist available 24-hours-a day? * Is pre-natal education offered at the hospital? * What is the hospital's birthing volume and complication rates? * What is the rate of elective primary cesarean cesarean /ce·sar·e·an/ (se-zar´e-an) see under section. ce·sar·e·an or cae·sar·e·an or cae·sar·i·an or ce·sar·i·an adj. Of or relating to a cesarean section. complication rates? "The nature of obstetrics, in particular, allows families the time to make careful decisions about where to receive their healthcare," says Charles Kimelman, MD, Chief of OB at Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center. Tarzana hospital was recognized by HealthGrades, the nation's leading source for healthcare quality information with 5-Star ratings for clinical excellence in Women's Health Women's Health Definition Women's health is the effect of gender on disease and health that encompasses a broad range of biological and psychosocial issues. Services for 2004. The HealthGrades 5-Star ratings place Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center in the Top 5% in the nation for these services. "Providing this information about Encino-Tarzana's outstanding clinical performance will allow families to make thoughtful choices about where to experience this important event in their lives." HealthGrades independently analyzed 1,769 hospitals in 16 states nationwide for its 2004 ratings, objectively assessing their clinical performance and quality. The HealthGrades ratings measure whether patient outcomes in Obstetrics and Women's Health are better than expected (5-Star), as expected (3-Star) or worse than expected (1-Star). A 5-Star designation indicates that a hospital has scored in the Top 15% or better in the nation for clinical quality. HealthGrades Women's Health ratings combine a hospital's OB rating with clinical performance in Cardiac Services for women (including heart surgery, heart attack, heart failure, atrial fibrillation atrial fibrillation Irregular rhythm (arrhythmia) of contraction of the atria (upper heart chambers). The most common major arrhythmia, it may result as a consequence of increased fibrous tissue in the aging heart, of heart disease, or in association with severe infection. and cardiac interventions) and Stroke care. "HealthGrades produces its annual Hospital Report Cards on Women's Health, Obstetrics and a wide range of other procedures and diagnoses with the mission of helping consumers make better and more informed healthcare choices," explained Sarah Loughran, HealthGrades Senior Vice President. "Our primary goal in advancing public reporting is to improve the quality of healthcare in America. "It is very important for women and their families in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. to be aware of this information and the outstanding clinical quality ratings earned by Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center," Loughran added. "There is a tremendous difference in clinical outcomes between healthcare facilities." The complete Women's Health and OB Services ratings are published free of charge, on the HealthGrades web site, www.healthgrades.com. Medical Ratings for 24 other medical procedures and diagnoses--including cardiac, pulmonary, vascular, stroke and orthopedics--will be available in Fall 2004. More than one million users visit the HealthGrades web site each month. Information for this article was provided by Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center. |
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