U.S. News & World Report: Local hospitals provide exceptional maternity care

Hospitals in four health care systems here were recognized for exceptional maternity care by U.S. New & World Report. 

Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, UPMC Harrisburg Hospital, UPMC Carlisle Hospital, UPMC Lititz Hospital, Lehigh Valley Hospital – Cedar Crest, Lehigh Valley Hospital – Hazelton, Lehigh Valley Hospital – Poconos, WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital, WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital, and WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital all made the top grade.  

The annual evaluation by U.S. News aims to help expectant parents and their doctors to make well-informed decisions about where to receive maternity care, the magazine said. For this year’s ratings, U.S. News evaluated nearly 650 hospitals that offer high-quality labor and delivery services for uncomplicated pregnancies. 

“Hospitals that receive a high performing designation as part of Best Hospitals for Maternity Care meet a high standard in caring for parents with uncomplicated pregnancies,” said Jennifer Winston, health data scientist at U.S. News. “These hospitals have C-section rates that are 26% lower, and newborn complication rates that are 37% lower than unrecognized hospitals.” 

Winston said the methodology relies on objective measures of quality and offers parents-to-be free information on hospital performance at health.usnews.com. 

“This designation affirms our commitment to delivering outstanding maternity care and our ongoing efforts to ensure the well-being of both mothers and newborns,” said Dr. Richard Legro, chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Hershey Medical Center. “The recognition also underscores our readiness to manage the full spectrum of pregnancies, from lower-risk patients to complex cases that require our most highly specialized care.” 

In addition to receiving the 2024 U.S. News Best Hospital for Maternity Award, WellSpan Chambersburg and Good Samaritan hospitals also received the inaugural “Maternity Access” award, recognizing the quality care provided to regions, that if not for these hospitals, would be considered maternity deserts, WellSpan Health said. 

“Our dedication to delivering safe, high quality and accessible maternity care across our South-Central Pennsylvania communities is unmatched. We are honored to have the trust of our patients when they choose maternity care with us,” said Dr. Michael Seim, senior vice president and chief quality officer at WellSpan Health. “Receiving continued validation from independent organizations that measure quality and safety attests to our commitment to providing such a high level of care for families and their newborns.” 

Last year, these three hospitals were also recognized for expert maternity care by Money, who teamed up with The Leapfrog Group to develop the first Best Maternity Hospital ranking. 

Lehigh Valley Health Network said its hospitals provide evidence-based maternity care to ensure new mothers and infants have tools they need to thrive before, during and after pregnancy. Care is team-based, which means obstetricians, midwives, maternal fetal medicine specialists and highly skilled nurses all play a key role in support and education at each step of pregnancy.  

“Receiving a high performing designation for maternity care from U.S. News & World Report is a tremendous honor for me and my team,” said Dr. Amanda Flicker, chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at LVHN. “Our team of clinicians is among the best in the nation. We consistently provide high-quality, compassionate care at each step of pregnancy and postpartum.”   

Dr. Richard Beigi, president, UPMC Magee, said, “This honor again is a testament to the dedication of our talented physicians, nurses, and staff who deliver the highest-quality maternity care and compassionate service to families locally and throughout our region. This recognition reflects the expertise of our team members who provide an excellent birthing experience for our patients and a strong commitment to our region’s expectant parents and their babies.”