UKIAH >> Ukiah Valley Medical Center (UVMC) was ranked 33 in a list of high-performing hospitals in California for its quality of maternity care services, according to a report released by the California Hospital Assessment and Reporting Taskforce (CHART).
The taskforce analyzed data from 262 hospitals and found wide variation in performance in terms of four common procedures related to delivery and newborn care: C-section, episiotomy, breastfeeding and vaginal birth after C-section (VBAC). Among other things, the data showed that women are more likely to have a cesarean section and are less likely to exclusively breast feed at low-performing hospitals than at high-performing hospitals. The taskforce also found that an expectant mom is also less likely to have an episiotomy if she gives birth at a high-performing hospital.
“This is a great testament to the quality of care we provide at the Family Birth Center. Our priority has always been patient safety and providing the best possible care to our moms and this just goes to show that expectant mothers do not have to go out of the area to get excellent maternity care,” nurse Casey Ford, director of the Family Birth Center at UVMC, stated.
The California Hospital Assessment and Reporting Taskforce (CHART) was established in 2004 to develop a statewide hospital performance reporting system using a multi-stakeholder collaborative process. The CHART public report card is available at calhospitalcompare.org, a hospital public reporting website maintained by the California HealthCare Foundation. For a complete list, see www.chcf.org/publications/2014/11/tale-two-births).
The Family Birth Center offers private birthing suites for labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum care. Childbirth classes and tours are available for expectant moms and support persons. For more information about the Family Birth Center call 463-7550 or visit www.uvmc.org/birthcenter.
