Pam Castleman accepting the Exceptional Performance for Maternity Care award at the Memphis Business Group on Health luncheon.

The Memphis Business Group on Health (MBGH) distributes awards annually to hospitals in the Memphis area who exemplify excellence in patient safety as evidenced in patient safety measures.  At the MBGH annual awards luncheon in April, Regional Medical Center was recognized for its national and Metro Memphis market leadership in maternity care. The hospital received an award for recognition for “Exceptional Performance for Maternity Care.”

Regional Medical Center, home to the Sheldon B. Korones Newborn Center and a nationally recognized High-Risk Obstetrics Program, fully met all safety standards for early elective delivery, rate of episiotomy, and standard precautions. In addition, the hospital was a top performer in the Metro Memphis market early elective delivery and episiotomy numbers.

To fully meet the standard for early elective deliveries, the rate must be less than or equal to 5 percent.  Regional Medical Center’s rate was only 0.3 percent. To fully meet the episiotomy standard, the rate must be less than or equal to 12 percent. Regional Medical Center’s rate was only 1.1 percent.  In addition, Regional Medical Center scored better than target in standard precautions, including screening newborns for jaundice before discharge and preventing blood clots in women undergoing cesarean section deliveries.