WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – As Novant Health continues to make progress addressing disparities in maternal and infant health, the health system announced today that two of its hospitals were among only 26 hospitals nationwide – and only six in North Carolina – recognized by U.S. News & World Report for success in supporting Black mothers and their babies. Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center and Novant Health Matthews Medical Center were identified in the report, released during Black Maternal Health Week, as achieving excellent outcomes for cesarean section and unexpected newborn complications among Black patients.
“This recognition by U.S. News validates the work we have been doing for years to improve outcomes for Black women during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum,” said Dr. Pamela Oliver, executive vice president and chief medical officer of Novant Health, who is also a practicing ob-gyn. “We are pleased that our work on mitigating implicit bias and reducing our overall C-section rates is improving the lives of those who are trusting us with their care. There is still much to be done to address the disparities in care for Black women and infants, and we are committed to doing the tough work to normalize an expectation of equity for all.”
U.S. News identified hospitals that were rated High Performing in U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care and had newborn complication rates of less than 2.62% and C-section rates of less than 23.9% (among hospitals providing a higher level of care) or 23.6% (among hospitals not providing a higher level of care) among Black patients. Last year, U.S. News recognized six Novant Health facilities as high performing for maternity care. Of those, Forsyth Medical Center and Matthews Medical Center are some of Novant Health’s busiest birth centers, representing 30% of the babies born at Novant Health hospitals during 2023.
In 2023, Novant Health launched a three-tiered strategy to address maternal and infant health disparities. The health system prioritized implicit bias training for physicians and advanced practice providers in the Novant Health Women’s & Children’s Institute. As a result, Novant Health achieved a systemwide completion rate exceeding 90%, equivalent to more than 3,000 hours of combined education. This intentional focus led to an increase in maternal patient experience scores across the board, outperforming national and statewide benchmarks.
Additionally, Novant Health is focused on improving access to early and adequate prenatal care, as well as addressing social determinants of health needs during pregnancy and pediatric care.
Honoring its commitment to health equity, Novant Health has a series of events and volunteer opportunities in recognition of Black Maternal Health Week, including sponsoring and participating in the 2024 Black Maternal Health Conference in Charlotte and the Empowering Maternal Health: Shaping Policy for Change event in Wilmington, North Carolina.
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