Fort Belvoir Community Hospital OB/GYN department delivered its 100th baby last week, one month after the opening of the new facility. FBCH had 108 deliveries total for September, making it one of the busiest months since last October.
"The numbers speak for themselves," said Maj. Brianna Perata, OB clinical nurse specialist. "The fact that we could deliver more than a hundred babies right off the bat says that we were ready."
The department was delivering around 70+ at Dewitt Army Community Hospital in the months leading up to the transition to the new hospital. They expect a delivery increase of at least 20 once they move from four labor rooms to six and another five to 10 when the nursery opens.
Opening a new facility during one of the busiest months the department has seen in nearly a year posed challenges, but "they were things we were easily able to overcome and nothing that affected patient care," said Maj. Gabrielle Maybee, OB/GYN Dept. Chief. Initial issues with the phone lines were remedied by having the calls to Labor and Delivery immediately sent to the triage area so patients' phone calls could be answered in a timely manner.
The department has been administering tours of the new area to the expecting families, boasting a private room and bathroom for each patient and internet access.
"Overall a resounding success for our patients,' Perata said. "I think there was a stigma that a military hospital wasn't the latest and greatest… and now the beneficiaries have something they can write home about."
Labor and Delivery also has an inpatient OB/GYN physician provider 24/7, a midwifery service five nights a week (on-call the other two), nurse educator, and is expanding its child birth education classes.
Expecting families can schedule a tour by calling (571)231-3442/3446.
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