July 17, 2020
Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals are among the best in the nation for providing exceptional maternity care, according to Newsweek magazine’s Best Maternity Hospitals 2020 report.
Whether helping parents navigate pregnancy safely or ensuring new moms recover more quickly after a cesarean birth, 12 Northern California Medical Centers earned top marks for providing safe, high-quality care to moms and their babies. Last year, 43,507 babies were delivered at Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals.
The following Kaiser Permanente hospitals received the Best Maternity Hospitals 2020 designation: Antioch, Fresno, Modesto, Redwood City, Roseville, San Jose, Santa Clara, Santa Rosa, South Sacramento, Vacaville, Vallejo, and Walnut Creek.
Rigorous Standards
The national designation, awarded to only 231 hospitals in the United States, identifies leading maternity care programs that have met or exceeded rigorous quality and safety standards. Kaiser Permanente has a total of 22 hospitals in the nation that received the elite designation, representing nearly 10% of those named to the prestigious list — and nearly 50% of those listed in California.
Richard Isaacs, MD, CEO, and executive director of The Permanente Medical Group, credited Kaiser Permanente clinicians and staff for achievement of the designation. “Through our integrated care model, evidence-based protocols and technological advancements, we are providing families with the expert and high-quality care they need to lead healthy and productive lives, right from the start,” said Dr. Isaacs. “We are proud of this accomplishment, which is a testament to the exceptional clinical expertise of our physicians and staff.”
“This reflects our commitment to providing our members and patients with high-quality maternity care as they embark on their parenthood journey,” said Tom Hanenburg, interim president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan/Hospitals in Northern California. “We are proud to be recognized for our superior care as we lead the nation in providing mothers and babies with safe, exceptional care, and we look forward to continuing to care for them as they grow.”
Fewer Cesarean Sections
Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals have been a leader in providing innovative approaches to maternal care, including our Supporting Vaginal Birth Program that resulted in marked decreases in cesarean birth for first-time moms, and the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Program, which helps new mothers recover more quickly after delivering by cesarean section with improved pain control without the use of narcotics and early mobility. A focus on breastfeeding is also integral to Kaiser Permanente’s maternity care, which has proven health benefits for both baby and mom.
Newsweek’s Best Maternity Care Hospitals demonstrate the highest performance in the United States as verified by the 2019 Leapfrog Hospital Survey. Designated hospitals meet Leapfrog’s rigorous standards for excellence in maternity care — including low rates of cesarian section, episiotomy (an incision to enlarge the vaginal opening for childbirth), and early elective delivery — and follow important protocols to protect moms and babies, among other measures. Additionally, all of the hospitals named earned either an A or B rating on the Spring 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade.
For more detail on methodology and a complete list of designated maternity care programs, visit Newsweek’s Best Maternity Care Hospitals 2020.
This story originally appeared in Look Inside KP
