FRISCO, Texas – Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Centennial has been designated as a Level III maternal care center by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). The Level III designation is awarded to hospitals that provide comprehensive care for the most complex medical, surgical and obstetrical conditions for pregnant and postpartum patients.
"Nothing is more important to us than supporting the health and well-being of every mother and baby who comes through our doors," said Malathi V. Ellis, MD, medical director of maternal care at Baylor Scott & White – Centennial. "This designation is a testament to the quality of care we provide and to our commitment to always go above and beyond to serve our patients. As a provider, I have never worked at a hospital with so much commitment to patient care and patient experience."
Baylor Scott & White – Centennial is the first hospital in Frisco to earn a Level III designation from the DSHS’s Maternal Levels of Care program, which sets best-in-practice standards for women and children's services in Texas to improve maternal outcomes. The designation provides expectant mothers with details of a hospital's care to help mothers make informed decisions during pregnancy about their birthing hospital.
"At Baylor Scott & White – Centennial, we enjoy a close relationship with the community we serve, and it is an honor to provide this quality of care for our friends and neighbors," said Cathy Colangelo, MSN, RN, maternal program manager in women's services at Baylor Scott & White – Centennial and one of the first nurses in Texas to earn national certification in obstetric and neonatal quality and safety. "I am incredibly proud of our team and the quality care we provide to our patient families here in Frisco."
To earn Level III designation, facilities must demonstrate their ability to:
- provide care for pregnant and postpartum patients with significant complex medical, surgical and/or obstetrical conditions that present a high risk of maternal morbidity or mortality, as well provide care for patients at low risk.
- provide access to a full range of medical and maternal subspecialists, surgical specialists, and behavioral health specialists.
- perform major surgery on-site.
- have physicians with critical care training always available to actively collaborate with maternal fetal medicine physicians and/or obstetrics and gynecology physicians with obstetrics training and privileges in maternal care.
- have skilled personnel with documented training, competencies and annual continuing education, specific for the population served; and
- provide outreach education to lower-level designated facilities, among other capabilities.
Baylor Scott & White – Centennial was designated a Level III maternal care facility after a meticulous, two-year review process from a multidisciplinary team appointed and approved by the state.
"It is our great honor, privilege, and responsibility to care for mothers and babies," said Ryan Gebhart, president of Baylor Scott & White – Centennial. "This designation is a testament of how our multi-disciplinary staff continues to live out our mission and values, never settling. Families, women, and babies across Frisco and surrounding communities have access to quality maternal care."
Baylor Scott & White - Centennial specializes in developing multidisciplinary care teams that collaborate to manage the care of pregnant mothers and their babies. The hospital is a member of TexasAIM, a program from the DSHS, the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health and the Texas Hospital Association with the goal of ending preventable maternal death and severe maternal morbidity. Baylor Scott & White – Centennial also is designated as a facility that participates in the Texas Ten Step program, which focuses on evidence-based practices that promote breastfeeding and emphasizes proven measures to reduce racial and ethnic disparities. The hospital supports a women's choice for managing labor and offers alternative options for pain management. For more information, please visit: www.bswhealth.com/yourmomentcentennial.
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About Baylor Scott & White Health
As the largest not-for-profit health system in the state of Texas, Baylor Scott & White promotes the health and well-being of every individual, family and community it serves. It is committed to making quality care more accessible, convenient and affordable through its integrated delivery network, which includes the Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, the Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance and its leading digital health platform – MyBSWHealth. Through 51 hospitals and more than 1,200 access points, including flagship academic medical centers in Dallas, Fort Worth and Temple, the system offers the full continuum of care, from primary to award-winning specialty care. Founded as a Christian ministry of healing more than a century ago, Baylor Scott & White today serves more than three million Texans. For more information, visit: BSWHealth.com
