Ochsner Health Earns Top Marks From Inaugural U.S. News & World Report Best Hospital for Maternity

NEW ORLEANS – Top marks were awarded to Ochsner facilities in the inaugural Best Hospital for Maternity rankings released today by U.S. News & World Report – the global authority on hospital rankings and consumer advice. Ochsner Medical Center (OMC) – inclusive of Ochsner Medical Center- West Bank Campus and Ochsner Baptist* – and Ochsner St. Anne earned the “High Performing in Maternity Care (Uncomplicated Pregnancy)” rating – the highest rating U.S. News & World Report awards for maternity care. This coveted honor is reserved for the top third of hospitals evaluated by U.S. News & World Report for maternity care. OMC and Ochsner St. Anne were the only facilities in Louisiana to be recognized in the inaugural ranking.

Lisa Pellerin, MSN, FACHE, System Vice President Women’s / NICU Services at Ochsner Health said, “We are incredibly proud of our team and the work they do each day to ensure the safety and wellbeing of both mothers delivering and babies born at Ochsner facilities.”

To be recognized in the inaugural Best Hospitals for Maternity, hospitals had to excel on multiple quality metrics, including complication rates, C-section rates, whether births were scheduled too early in pregnancy, and how successfully each hospital supported breastfeeding. Participation was voluntary and the evaluation reviewed hospital data relating to only uncomplicated pregnancies, not high-risk pregnancies. Participating hospitals responded to a survey from the U.S. News health analysis team in spring of 2021, which reflects data from 2019.

“All families deserve to be informed on how hospitals perform on key indicators of quality, which is why U.S. News has compiled and published a trove of maternal health data from hospitals across the country,” said Ben Harder, managing editor and chief of health analysis at U.S. News & World Report. “The hospitals we’ve recognized as High Performing meet a high standard in caring for patients with uncomplicated pregnancies.”

Ochsner Health has been recognized as a leader in maternity and women’s services before. Accolades include:

• Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative (LaPQC) Louisiana Birth Ready and Louisiana Birth Ready+ Designation: With two tiers of achievement this designation celebrates improved perinatal health outcomes, the result of implementing clinical practices that promote safe, equitable, and dignified birth for all birthing persons. In August 2021, the inaugural Birth Ready Hospital Designation was awarded to four Ochsner hospitals – Christus Ochsner Lake Area Hospital, Ochsner LSU Health Monroe, Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport St. Mary Medical Center and Ochsner Medical Center Kenner. Additionally, two of the five hospitals awarded the Birth Ready+ Designation were Ochsner facilities – Ochsner Baptist Medical Center and Ochsner Medical Center Baton Rouge.
• American College of Nurses and Midwives “Triple Aim” Best Practice: “Triple Aim” Best Practice recognizes practices which meet the Institute for Healthcare Improvement “Triple Aim” of improving the patient experience, reducing cost of care and improving the health of populations. This is demonstrated by high breastfeeding rates, low preterm birth and cesarean rates and reporting fiscal variables. The Perkin Alternative Birthing Center at Ochsner Baptist was named a 2020 “Triple Aim” recipient.
  
•  The White House Maternal Health Day of Action Summit on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 will feature Veronica Gillispie-Bell, MD (Medical Director of Quality for Women’s Services at Ochsner Health) as a panelist. Dr. Gillispie is an advocate for health equity and maternal care, with a focus on improving Black Maternal Health outcomes – both here in Louisiana and beyond. In addition to being a practicing OBGYN, Dr. Gillispie serves as the Medical Director of the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative and Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review for the Louisiana Department of Health. To live stream the Maternal Health Call to Action Summit, click here. To learn more about Vice President Kamala Harris’ call to action to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity, click here.
  

Dr. Joseph Biggio, Jr., MD, System Co-Chair of Women's Service Line and System Chair for Maternal Fetal Medicine at Ochsner Health said, “The rise of severe adverse pregnancy outcomes during the fourth surge of COVID-19 in Louisiana underscored how critically important prenatal care is for expecting mothers. From major metropolitan areas to rural communities in the Bayou, Ochsner is dedicated to serving the growing families of Louisiana – one mom and one baby at a time.”

Access to high quality prenatal care both for mother and baby has been shown to increase the chances of a safer, full-term pregnancy, underscoring the need for equitable access to healthcare close to home. Based in New Orleans, OMC is a destination for maternity care and women’s services for the Greater New Orleans Area. Ochsner Baptist is home to the Perkin Alternative Birthing Center – the only hospital-based alternative birthing center in the region – as well as a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with a Level IV Regional designation, the highest-level designation awarded by the state of Louisiana. In November 2021, Ochsner Baptist surpassed more than 25,000 baby deliveries since opening in 2013.

Ochsner St. Anne is a hub for maternity care and other essential healthcare services for the Bayou region, which was significantly damaged when Hurricane Ida made landfall in August 2021. While the hospital underwent repairs, the team at Ochsner St. Anne pivoted quicky to provide care for patients at a neighboring facility, Ochsner St. Mary. Six weeks later, Ochsner St. Anne had returned to full operations, resuming labor and delivery and surgical services on Friday, October 15.

For more information about Ochsner Health and women’s services, please visit ochsner.org/services/womens-services. For resources for expecting and new parents, please visit ochsner.org/newmom. For more information on U.S. News World Report Best Hospitals for Maternity, visit Best Hospitals for Maternity.

*Ochsner’s quality metrics include data from both Ochsner Medical Center, Ochsner Medical Center - West Bank Campus and Ochsner Baptist – a Campus of Ochsner Medical Center.

###

About Ochsner Health

Ochsner Health is a system that delivers health to the people of Louisiana, Mississippi and the Gulf South with a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate. Ochsner Health is a not-for-profit committed to giving back to the communities it serves through preventative screenings, health and wellness resources and partnerships with innovative organizations that share our vision. Ochsner Health healed more than 900,000 people from across the globe in 2020, providing the latest medical breakthroughs and therapies, including digital medicine for chronic conditions and telehealth specialty services. Ochsner Health is a national leader, named both the top hospital and the top children’s hospital in Louisiana by U.S. News & World Report. As Louisiana’s leading healthcare educator, Ochsner Health and its partners educate thousands of healthcare professionals annually. Ochsner Health is innovating healthcare by investing in new technologies and research to make world-class care more accessible, affordable, convenient and effective. Ochsner's team of more than 32,000 employees and 4,500 providers are working to reinvent the future of health and wellness in the region. To learn more about Ochsner Health, please visit www.ochsner.org. To transform your health, please visit www.ochsner.org/healthyyou.