Birthing Center to Expand in Response to Higher Volumes
The Birthing Center at Thompson Hospital is expecting to welcome more than 800 babies this year.
As the only labor and delivery unit in Ontario County, The Birthing Center at Thompson Hospital is expecting to welcome more than 800 babies this year, and it’s happening just as plans are taking shape for an expansion.
The plans include remodeling two regular “overflow” patient rooms The Birthing Center shares with a medical/surgical unit. The renovations will make the rooms more baby-friendly, including adding amenities such as showers. This will bring the number of labor and delivery rooms from 10 to 12.
The plans also call for a dedicated room for medication preparation and storage, as well as additional storage to make the unit more inviting and patient-friendly. Upgrades to existing triage areas and storage areas are in the works as well.
Director of Obstetrical Nursing KyShara Penns (pictured) said the project is expected to begin later this year, occurring in phases.
“Our associates are excited because this will allow us to better meet the growing needs of our families in the community, to continue to provide them with the best care,” KyShara said.
The Birthing Center holds two quality recognitions: It is designated by Excellus BlueCross Blue Shield as a Blue Distinction Center+ for Maternity Care, and has Perinatal Advanced Certification from The Joint Commission, a global driver of quality improvement and patient safety.
The unit’s last big project was a decade ago, with the installation of large, enhanced showers in six of the suites, renovations to the décor, and upgrades to the classroom where community perinatal classes are held. Two years later, Thompson opened a lactation suite adjacent to The Birthing Center, for outpatient lactation consultations and small meetings for breastfeeding moms.
Chief of Obstetrics/Gynecology Dr. Francis Finneran (pictured) arrived at Thompson in 2017 and has witnessed increasing demand for The Birthing Center’s services since.
“The expansion of The Birthing Center is a testament to this exciting growth in our obstetric volume,” he said. “Two additional rooms will be integral in supporting our continued growth and allowing Thompson to be the ‘small but mighty’ hospital where we are proud to work.”
Project Fundraisers Coming Up
The planned expansion to Thompson Hospital’s Birthing Center is expected to get a boost this summer thanks to the F.F. Thompson Foundation’s two signature events – the Thompson Health Golf Classic which happened in June and the Gala scheduled for August. Registration has closed for the golf tournament. For tickets to the Gala, visit ThompsonHealth.com/Gala.