Understanding Why Certain Hospitals are Rated so Highly
Every year various organizations publish their report on the top hospitals to deliver in and why. Most pregnant women would love the opportunity to deliver at one of these top hospitals, but may not be able to because of insurance restrictions, because their doctor doesn’t have privileges there, or because they don’t live close to one of these facilities. Why are these hospitals selected for this list and what should you look for when choosing a hospital to deliver?
Your Hospital Experience
Most hospitals offer private rooms for delivery, but did you know that some hospitals, like St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Edgewood, Kentucky, will let you stay in the same private room for labor, delivery and your postnatal stay? The consistency in nursing care and convenience of not having to change rooms is one that many new moms appreciate.
Many hospitals allow nurse midwives to deliver babies and are respectful of a woman’s desire for a natural, intervention-free, and homey feeling comfortable delivery. St Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital in NYC allows anyone you want in the delivery room with you, with only a few restrictions. They even have a comfortable room next to the delivery room suite for family members to stay while you are laboring. University Hospitals of Cleveland Mac Donald Women’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio also has special sleeping arrangements close to the NICU so that parents can stay close to their children.
NICU
If your pregnancy is high risk or you know that your child is facing complications after delivery, consider one of these top hospitals for neonatology (specialized care of newborns and newborn complications) according to U.S. News Best Children’s Hospitals:
– Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
– Children’s Hospital in Boston
– Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center