CTMC recognized by Leapfrog Group for full-term delivery practices
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2013
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rachel Nelson 512-753-3616
rachel.nelson2@ahss.org
CTMC RECOGNIZED BY LEAPFROG GROUP FOR FULL-TERM DELIVERY PRACTICES
SAN MARCOS, TX – Of hospitals that responded to the Leapfrog Group’s recent survey regarding early elected delivery rates, Central Texas Medical Center (CTMC) was one of only three sites in Texas that reported having a zero percent rate for non-medically indicated early births between 37 and 39 weeks.
Electing to deliver babies early has become a growing national trend among doctors and mothers, usually in the name of convenience. State-wide, responding hospitals reported having early elective delivery dates for an average of 18.3 percent of births, compared to 11.2 percent nationally.
“Important fetal development takes place during the last few weeks of a woman’s pregnancy, so if there is no medical reason for induction or cesarean section before 39 weeks, it’s best to let the baby stay in the womb full term,” said CTMC Director of Women’s Services Margie Lieck.
The only other two Texas hospitals that were recognized by the Leapfrog Group for zero percent non-medical early elective delivery rates were St. David’s North Austin Medical Center and University Health System in San Antonio.
The Leapfrog Group, an independent national non-profit run by employers and other large purchasers of health benefits, began reporting hospital early elective delivery rates in 2010. According to the Leapfrog Group, early elective deliveries can be dangerous, resulting in NICU admissions, increased length of stay and higher costs to patients and payors.
Last year, the Leapfrog Group also recognized CTMC for being among 720 hospitals that received an “A” for their Hospital Safety ScoreSM. The score uses 26 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to produce a single score representing a hospital’s overall capacity to keep patients safe from infections, injuries, and medical and medication errors.
Would you like more information about delivering at the CTMC Women’s Center? Schedule a tour by calling (512) 753-3528. CTMC’s fourth annual BabyFest event will take place on July 28. Keep checking www.ctmc.org as details unfold.
About CTMC
The hospital, which originated in 1923 as Hays County Soldiers, Sailors and Marines Memorial Hospital, was restructured in 1960. The present facility was opened at its current Wonder World Drive location in 1983. The CTMC staff of more than 700 employees works with more than 220 active and consulting physicians to provide quality services to patients and their families. In addition, over 200 community members and interns from area educational institutions volunteer their services to the hospital. In 2010 and again in 2011, CTMC was named The Best Hospital in Hays County. In addition, CTMC added a certified Chest Pain Center to its ER capabilities in 2011. In 2012, CTMC became the first operating room along the IH-35 corridor between Austin and San Antonio to be equipped with a da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery suite.
CTMC is a member of the Adventist Health System (AHS), a not-for-profit healthcare organization that emphasizes Christ at the center of care. Founded in 1973, AHS has quickly grown to become the largest not-for-profit Protestant healthcare provider in the nation. Today, AHS supports 43 hospitals and employs 55,000 individuals. AHS hospitals are comprised of 7,700 licensed beds, providing care for 4 million patients each year in inpatient, outpatient and emergency room visits.
About The Leapfrog Group
The Leapfrog Group (www.leapfroggroup.org) is a national organization using the collective leverage of large purchasers of health care to initiate breakthrough improvements in the safety, quality, and affordability of health care for Americans. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey allows purchasers to structure their contracts and purchasing to reward the highest performing hospitals. The Leapfrog Group was founded in November 2000 with support from the Business Roundtable and national funders, and is now independently operated with support from its purchaser and other members.
