PVHMC Named One of America’s Best Maternity Hospitals by Newsweek

Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center (PVHMC) has been named one America’s Best Maternity Hospitals in the nation by Newsweek.

The Newsweek ranking is based on a nationwide online survey of hospital managers and medical professionals and publicly available data from hospital surveys addressing patient experience. The ranking also included available hospital data on quality metrics on elective deliveries and level of personnel vaccination from nonprofit hospital accreditation organization The Joint Commission, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Over the past decade, 46 hospitals have closed their obstetric units in California, with nearly a dozen in 2023, according to the California Hospital Association. As some of these closures have impacted Southern California, PVHMC’s maternity unit has remained steadfast, expanding services for high-risk patients, and has earned many accolades for its patient safety and meeting quality metrics in labor and delivery.

PVHMC’s cesarean (C-section) reduction program and quality initiatives identify patients at high-risk for complications and reduces cesarean births among low-risk, first-time mothers. The reduction in primary C-section births leads to less complications and better outcomes. PVHMC also works with neighboring health centers to monitor pre-natal care for women who plan to give birth at its hospital. The hospital has a maternal-fetal transport program with other facilities to transfer women who experience pregnancy complications to PVHMC. The high-risk maternal fetal transport team works with referring facilities, as far as the cities of Ridgecrest and Bishop, to develop a plan of care for each patient who needs a higher level of care.

In the past year, PVHMC earned a ‘High Performing’ rating, the highest rating available, in Best Hospitals for Maternity Care (Uncomplicated Pregnancy) by U.S. News & World Report.

“Last year, we delivered 4,939 infants, serving thousands of families who put their trust in our maternity services,” said Richard E. Yochum, FACHE, President/CEO at PVHMC. “We are proud to be named as one of the nation’s top hospitals for maternity care by many prestigious organizations. The recognition speaks volumes to our high standards and meeting quality measures. Our doctors, nurses and staff are committed to providing exceptional care to our expectant and new mothers.”

The U.S. News Best Hospitals for Maternity Care methodology is based entirely on objective measures of quality, such as C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, early elective delivery rates, birthing-friendly practices and transparency on racial/ethnic disparities, among other measures.

U.S. News & World Report also recently ranked us among 26 facilities in the nation, and only five in California, for excellent outcomes among Black maternal patients for achieving excellent outcomes for cesarean section and unexpected newborn complications among Black patients.

In recent months, PVHMC also received the Blue Cross Blue Shield with a Blue Distinction® Centers+ Maternity Care designation for high quality and cost-efficient care. It also recently earned Advanced Certification in Perinatal Care from The Joint Commission – the hospital is one of only 32 in the nation and six in California to obtain this advanced certification.

“These rankings help people make informed decisions about where to receive maternity care that best meets their family’s needs,” says M. Hellen Rodriguez, MD, medical director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at PVHMC. “We’re proud to earn these prestigious distinctions in patient safety and our team is committed to ongoing education that strengthens our ability to manage complicated maternal health conditions successfully.”

To learn more about PVHMC maternal care, visit: www.pvhmc.org/centers-of-excellence/women-childrens-center/maternity-services.