The Women’s Hospital at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center celebrated its one-year anniversary of opening the Obstetric Emergency Department (OB ED). In conjunction with the main Emergency Department the OB ED has provided care to more than 2,500 patients this past year, at Saddleback Medical Center. Providing this emergency obstetrical care has redefined the standard of hospital-based women’s services, giving community members peace of mind knowing this additional specialized level of care, as well as comfort and support is available to women 24/7 year-round.
“At this important milestone, I’m deeply grateful for our exceptional OB GYN physicians and our labor and delivery team for always putting the health and wellness of our maternal patients at the forefront of care delivery,” said Christine Huff, MSN-INF, RNC-OB, director, Women’s and Children’s Services, MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center. “The Women’s Hospital has always been committed to delivering the highest level of care for expectant mothers and ensuring that each one of them and their babies get the outcome and experience they deserve whether through a standard or high-risk pregnancy.”
The OB ED, which officially opened on April 26, 2023, was created when a need was seen to ensure that expectant mothers could be fast-tracked to the Women’s Hospital from the main ED to ensure they received the highest level of testing and support needed from OB hospitals and the women’s team. The OB ED room features four beds, state-of-the-art equipment, skilled OB-GYN physicians, OB-GYN hospitalists, as well as specialty-trained OB nurses, providing the community with the highest level of emergency maternity care to the South Orange County community.
The OB ED care team assesses, treats, and discharges obstetrical patients and ensures that specialty-trained physicians and nurses evaluate every patient to ensure quality care and patient safety. All pregnant women are seen by a board-certified obstetrical provider who evaluates her and her baby’s condition.
“Since we’ve opened the OB ED, our moms-to-be have provided feedback on their experience, commenting that the ease with which they received specialized care was appreciated,” says Huff. “The established workflow of our OB ED facilitates prompt care plan decision making whether a patient is admitted or discharged home until they are ready to return for their delivery.”
The Women’s Hospital includes an advanced on-site Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), staffed around the clock by board-certified neonatologists, specialty nurses, and respiratory therapists providing specialized care for infants born prematurely or with complications. The Women’s Hospital recently completed its upgrade to the Labor-Delivery-Recovery-Postpartum (LDRP) suites, which include 24 LDRP suites for delivery, and six of the rooms offer soaking tubs. The birthing suites in the LDRP offer patients the ability to labor, deliver, and recover in the same spacious, private room designed for the momentous event of their child’s birth.
To learn more, call (949) 837-4500.