Flowers Hospital Uses New Technology to Enhance Maternal and Fetal Safety
6/16/2022
DOTHAN, Ala. (June 16, 2022) – The childbirth team at Flowers Hospital is now using an artificial intelligence-based maternal-fetal early warning system called PeriWatch Vigilance to enhance patient safety during labor and delivery. The system continuously monitors maternal vital signs, fetal heart rate, contractions, and labor progression to help clinicians quickly identify any concerning developments for faster intervention.
Flowers Hospital delivers more than 1,400 babies each year. Allison Marker, M.D., obstetrician and medical director of the labor and delivery unit, indicates this new technology is an important resource to support maternal/fetal health and safe deliveries.
“Every delivery is unique so the health and well-being of every mom and baby is our priority during childbirth,” says Dr. Marker. “While most births happen without complication, there are some inherent risks in the delivery of a newborn. This new technology adds another layer of protection throughout the labor process to help our maternity team recognize, prevent and respond to potential complications.”
Through pattern recognition, the technology can also pinpoint opportunities for overall improvement based on consolidated data from multiple births. As the maternity team reviews trends and identifies areas where improvement is possible, the hospital can use that information to develop protocols that further increase safety and may lead to better outcomes for mothers and babies.
“By investing in this technology, Flowers Hospital is making labor and delivery safer for mothers and babies,” said Jeff Brannon, Flowers Hospital chief executive officer. “Our physicians and nurses are highly skilled medical professionals and excellent caregivers and they appreciate the use of technology to support their work, especially when it helps keep our patients safe.”
The birthing center at Flowers Hospital features 10 labor and delivery birthing rooms, two dedicated operating suites for cesarean section deliveries, private breastfeeding support rooms, security system, full-time neonatology physician coverage and a Level IIB special care nursery for pre-term infants born as early as 32 weeks gestational age or infants needing special medical attention.
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