The Women’s Clinic and Obstetrical Department at Chickasaw Nation Medical Center (CNMC) recently earned designation as a Spotlight Hospital 2024 Gold Level Awardee by the Oklahoma Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative (OPQIC).
OPQIC’s website says it seeks to recognize hospitals that are creating a culture of excellence in perinatal care for Oklahoma mothers and newborns. “Perinatal” refers to the time expectant mothers realize they are pregnant all the way through one year after giving birth.
Oklahoma birthing hospitals meeting certain criteria are recognized as Spotlight Hospitals.
Special attention during the extended perinatal period is critical to the short and long-term health and well-being of both child and mother.
Hospitals receiving the OPQIC Spotlight Hospitals Award are acknowledged for providing excellence in perinatal care and making considerable progress in improving outcomes for Oklahoma’s mothers and babies.
Chickasaw Nation OB/Women’s Care Manager Ashley Kreis said the success her department has achieved is the result of years of concentrated effort toward the overriding goal of ensuring the criteria were achieved.
“We did quite a few things to be able to receive the award, and it has taken a few years to acquire all the necessary certifications,” Kreis said. “We maintain our certifications for the Chickasaw Nation Medical Center’s OB department, and that sets us apart from other facilities.
“We are a baby-friendly facility through Baby-Friendly USA (BFUSA) and have held that certification since 2017,” she said.
BFUSA is the national authority for the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative in the United States.
“BFUSA’s standards make breastfeeding and breastfeeding support a priority for which we must meet certain criteria through an on-site survey every five years,” Kreis said.
“Surveyors perform on-site reviews of our facilities, interview nurses and patients to make sure we’re providing adequate education associated with breastfeeding and infant findings.
“We’re just glad to have the opportunity to be in contention for this award that was based on the things we have accomplished,” she said.
Chickasaw Nation Secretary of Health Dr. Charles Grim said this recognition by an outside entity is an example of the quality of care CNMC’s perinatal department provides.
“We have been known for quite a long time as a great place to come for women’s health care,” Grim said. “I am proud of our team’s willingness to not only share and be transparent with our quality data, but the fact they were recognized by this perinatal quality initiative for the level of care they provide. We work with this organization to facilitate quality improvement initiatives, and we participate in these sorts of rigorous reviews periodically.”
Criteria for achieving the Gold Level Award involves individual scoring on 11 markers OPQIC surveyors look for in determining obstetrics care excellence. A bronze designation involves scoring 11 points and a silver level requires achieving 12 to 15 points. Chickasaw Nation Medical Center tallied 16 points, putting it in the highest, Gold Level.
“It validates to the public and to our patients that we provide a high level of quality care here,” Grim said.
Kreis said important data points OPQIC survey team members examined ensured CNMC-OB professionals are not inducing labor before it is safe and indicated and that they are addressing the maternal opioid crisis in the perinatal population.
“We were also gold-level safe sleep certified through Cribs for Kids,” Kreis said. She said there are several requirements to earn this designation, including donating a safe sleep portable crib to families in need of one and providing community education regarding safe sleep.
“We model safe sleep for all infants throughout the inpatient stay,” she said. “We also participate in all Oklahoma perinatal quality collaborative initiatives and report on our progress on each.
“We screen patients when they are admitted and ask certain questions, one of which is to learn if they have a crib at home for their baby. Sometimes they don’t. A safe bed is similar to a Pack ‘n Play, but it’s a crib you can use that folds out.
“It is certified by the American Academy of Pediatrics as a safe sleep space. Our patients get one free of charge if they need one,” she said.
The Women’s Clinic and Obstetrical department at the Chickasaw Nation Medical Center provides women of all ages with comprehensive gynecology, obstetrics and family planning in a safe, therapeutic environment. First American women and expectant mothers pregnant with a First American child are eligible.