MidMichigan Medical Center – Gratiot patients will soon have a state-of-the-art, more comfortable and family-centered location to give birth. The Medical Center has begun construction on a new Maternity Center inside the patient tower. The center is expected to open in early 2019.
“The new Maternity Center will be less hospital-like and more of a home-like environment,” said Kaylee Randall, R.N., maternal child manager, MidMichigan Medical Center – Gratiot. “When patients walk in the door, they will see an attractive, welcoming place where friendly people will greet them and explain what will happen during their labor process to make it the best possible experience for them on an individual basis.”
The center will have nine private birthing suites where mothers can stay in one place throughout their hospital stay, from labor and delivery through recovery and postpartum care. There will also be three triage rooms. The rooms are designed with the family in mind, offering more space and pleasant accommodations for the baby and spouse to stay with the mom. Bigger rooms also improve access for clinical staff to provide bedside education and care for the mother and baby.
“In addition to being a physician for 20 years, I’ve also had the opportunity to be a mother, and I’ve delivered four children in four different hospitals including Gratiot,” said Diane Traenkle, M.D., an obstetrician/gynecologist at MidMichigan Medical Center – Gratiot. “That insight into what makes a patient comfortable was always in my input, as well as most likely all of the other women who had input into the development of this unit.”
The new design is the consummation of a five-year venture during which the hospital sought input from patients, physicians, nurses and other experts to meet the needs of today’s families while enhancing safety and improving flow for staff.
“Part of the process was interviewing women and asking what they would like to see in the new unit,” said Obstetrician/Gynecologist Michael Maslovich, M.D., department chair for Obstetrics and Gynecology at MidMichigan Medical Center – Gratiot. “We’ve incorporated a lot of those things from the wish list plus many other features to make this a center of excellence for mother and baby.”
According to Dr. Maslovish, some of those features include a state-of-the art operating room for caesarian sections and gynecology procedures; large walk-in tubs enabling moms to safely and quickly access a warm bath for pain relief during labor; a nursery for when babies need monitoring or special procedures; a paramount security system, as well as and in-room refrigerators for patients to keep their favorite refreshments close at hand.
“Most of our staff have been patients here, have delivered their own babies here, and we have multiple staff who are currently expecting,” Randall added. “That really gives them insight into the flow of the unit and how they see the unit as a patient and not just a caregiver, which has influenced the decisions to make this new unit the most family-friendly possible.”
The existing Maternity Center will continue to serve patients while the new center is constructed.
-MidMichigan Health contributed to this report