Holy Name Press Releases

Study Places Holy Name Medical Center's Maternity Care in Top 5% in the Nation

July 16, 2010

Independent Analysis Based on Complication Rates and Neonatal Mortality Rates

Teaneck, NJ - Maternity care at Holy Name Medical Center is among the top 5% in the nation, according to a new study issued in June by HealthGrades, the independent ratings organization. The study used state government data to compare hospitals, in terms of complication rates for vaginal and C-section deliveries, as well as neonatal mortality. As a result, the Medical Center received the 2010/2011 HealthGrades Maternity Care Excellence Award™.  Holy Name has achieved a five-star rating in maternity care for five consecutive years.

"Holy Name has always been known as 'a great place to have your baby,'" notes Michael Maron, President/CEO, Holy Name Medical Center.  "Our priorities are patient safety, quality care and exceeding expectations, and we enjoy a high rate of success in accomplishing those goals. It's satisfying to have that acknowledged on a national level."

When reflecting on the reasons for Holy Name's distinguished service in this area, Mr. Maron noted, "The Women's and Children's staff is extremely attentive to patients' needs, and they're highly skilled in their individual specialties. They also work wonderfully as a team, with mutual respect between nurses and physicians. That collegial relationship creates a positive environment and produces truly excellent care."

Specific features that contribute to outstanding maternity care at Holy Name include:

• 24/7 in-house coverage by board-certified obstetricians and pediatricians
• 24/7 in-house coverage by board-certified anesthesiologists specifically dedicated to obstetrics
• 24/7 coverage by board-certified neonatologists
• Maternal-fetal medicine program and perinatal high-risk services
• Central fetal monitoring
• Maternal monitoring
• Dedicated staff in labor and delivery, postpartum and the special care nursery

As a group, top-rated hospitals by HealthGrades had 51% fewer maternal complications for vaginal deliveries and 74% fewer maternal complications for C-sections when compared with the poorest-rated hospitals.

The study examined all hospitals in the 19 states that collect and publish outcomes data from hospitals, 1,546 in all.  The study found that if all hospitals, among the 19 states studied, performed at the level of best-performing hospitals, 176,654 women may have avoided developing one or more in-hospital major obstetric complications during the period studied (2006 2008).

"Objective data shows that hospitals can vary in terms of complication rates and neonatal mortality rates," said Rick May, MD, a vice president with HealthGrades and co-author of the study. "The hospitals in the top 5% in the nation for maternity care should be proud not only of the outstanding care they deliver, but also for the quality benchmarks they are setting for other hospitals to follow."

For this analysis by HealthGrades, hospitals were evaluated using the following criteria:

• Maternal complication rate among women undergoing single live-born vaginal or C-section deliveries
• Maternal complication rate among women undergoing "patient-choice" or non-clinically indicated C-sections
• Newborn volume adjusted for low birth weight
• Newborn mortality rate stratified into eight birth weight categories

The complete methodology for the HealthGrades Maternity Care study can be found at www.healthgrades.com.