December 02, 2008

News Release

Shady Grove Adventist Hospital Opens Prenatal Center in Germantown

New Location Provides Improved Access to Care for Uninsured, Upcounty Women

Germantown , MD – Shady Grove Adventist Hospital has opened a new, prenatal center in Germantown, improving access to prenatal care services for uninsured pregnant women in upper Montgomery County.

The prenatal center is part of the Montgomery County Maternity Partnership Program, which provides prenatal care to uninsured, low income women in Montgomery County.

“Shady Grove Adventist Hospital is an enthusiastic supporter of the Maternity Partnership Program, which is aligned with our mission to serve the health care needs of our community,” said Dennis Hansen, President of Shady Grove Adventist Hospital.  “We are pleased to celebrate the opening of our Prenatal Center’s new location in Germantown.  The Prenatal Center is the most recent example of Shady Grove Adventist Hospital ’s commitment to improving access to health care services for the upcounty.”

Shady Grove’s Prenatal Center was previously located on Piccard Drive in Rockville.  The new space is located off Route 118 (Germantown Road) and I-270 and is next to the Germantown Emergency Center.  This new, upcounty location is close to major bus routes and in an area of the county that has grown rapidly in recent years.  Additionally, the new clinic has four exam rooms, a large lobby and private consult space for staff to meet with patients.

One of the unique elements of Shady Grove Adventist Hospital’s Prenatal Center is the use of nurse midwives to provide care and education to patients in the clinic.  While other Maternity Partnership Clinics exist in the county, no other clinics offer midwifery care.  The clinic nurses are fluent in Spanish.  In addition to the clinical care, the midwives also work to educate patients about the birth process, breast feeding, contraception, family planning and diabetes management.

During clinic visits, the patients also have access to county staff who can direct patients to resources and services such as medical assistance and local pediatricians. The babies are then delivered at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital by obstetricians who have partnered with the hospital to support the clinic.

“Our goal is to provide the highest quality clinical care to our patients,” explains Terry Francis, Director of Perinatal Services for Shady Grove Adventist Hospital.  “However, we recognize that these women need support to help them prepare for the birth of their babies and to provide care for these babies after they arrive.  We work to provide all of this through our clinic.”

The Montgomery County Maternity Partnership Program also includes centers at Washington Adventist Hospital and Holy Cross Hospital.

Shady Grove Adventist Hospital , is a not-for-profit, acute care facility with 293 licensed beds that is located in Rockville, Maryland.  Shady Grove offers a broad range of health services and is recognized for excellence in emergency care; high-risk obstetrical and neonatal care; a broad range of surgical specialties; cardiac and vascular interventional care; cancer care; and specialized services for children including the first Pediatric Emergency Department in Montgomery County and the only Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in the county.  The Shady Grove Adventist Emergency Center in Germantown opened in 2006 and is providing increased access to emergency medical care for upcounty residents.  Shady Grove Adventist Hospital is part of Rockville, Maryland-based Adventist HealthCare, an integrated health care delivery system that is one of the largest employers in the state of Maryland.