Springfield Memorial Hospital (SMH) Family Maternity Suites seeks feedback on the birth experience from families who have welcomed a baby at the hospital during the past two years, as well as pregnant women who plan to give birth at SMH who have previously delivered at SMH.
Patients and family members are invited to attend a community event with refreshments at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 19, to join a discussion on the importance of respectful maternity care.
“We want to make sure we provide respectful care that meets the needs of all our patients and provides the best outcomes possible for families,” said Kathryn Patrick, nurse manager of SMH Family Maternity Suites. “Listening to birth stories from the families we serve helps us do that. Plus, the feedback we have received from similar events the past few years has been invaluable to making positive changes to our labor and delivery unit.”
The community event is part of the unit’s Birth Equity Initiative efforts. The Birth Equity Initiative is a statewide campaign led by the Illinois Perinatal Quality Collaborative that aims to address racial disparities in maternal mortality and pregnancy and childbirth complications. All Illinois hospitals with labor and delivery units can participate.
To register to attend the Birth Equity: Birth, Babies and Respectful Care event, visit memorial.health/Respectful-Care-Practices or call 217-788-0208. Children are welcome to attend.