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The Health IDEA
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 Before you give birth, ask these 4 questions about your hospital (BPT) - As you get closer to your delivery date, many decisions lie ahead, all centered around care, maternity leave and even decorating the baby's room. But one question may rise to the top: Where will you give birth? If you are like most expectant mothers, you will be giving birth in a hospital. In spite of the rising popularity of home births, most moms choose hospitals to have their babies. The most recent statistics released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that fewer than 2 percent of babies born in the U.S. are born in a home setting. When you're looking at where to give birth, expectant parents should consider the following while choosing a hospital, according to the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA).
The place to begin is with your doctor. Most women go to the hospital where their physician has admitting privileges. So when you choose your doctor, the hospital where your baby will be born is tied into that. Discuss your birth plan in detail with your physician and make sure you both are at an understanding. If you have specific preferences, ask your doctor if they can be accommodated. For example, if this is not your first child, and you want to try a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC), have that discussion in detail with your physician. And while doctors are on call after office hours, it's always a possibility that your doctor cannot attend your birth. Know who would take the place of your doctor if those circumstances arise.
If you're proceeding along in a healthy pregnancy, you may be planning a vaginal delivery. But a cesarean section is something to be aware of because one third of U.S. births are delivered by C-section, according to the Blue Cross Blue Shield, The Health of America Report. It turns out that the city you live in can have a big impact on how you give birth. Some cities see rates as high as 50 percent, however, cities like Albuquerque, New Mexico, have rates as low as 22 percent. It's important for patients to be aware of this because C-sections raise complications for both babies and mothers, and experts say these should be used only when medically necessary. In addition, vaginal births cost $4,000 less than surgical births.
The Blue Distinction Centers for Maternity Care program evaluates hospitals on several quality measures, including the percentage of newborns that fall into the category of early elective delivery, an ongoing concern in the medical community. The program is meant to identify facilities that offer maternity care safely and affordably. The maternity programs also must offer family centered care, such as promotion of breastfeeding. If you're interested in a list of hospitals that deliver quality maternity care, visit bcbs.com/healthcare-partners/blue-distinction-for-providers/ and select "maternity care."
Not all hospitals are alike, so take time to review what it has to offer. Some maternity centers offer birthing tubs and fold-out couches. Knowing whether the hospital has a newborn intensive care unit may be a consideration, depending on the circumstances of your delivery and birth. If the hospital does not have a neonatal intensive care unit, ask your physician how these newborns are evaluated and transferred to other facilities. If you are interested in breastfeeding, ask if lactation consultants are available and how and when you can seek assistance. KEYWORDS
Preparing for a Safe, Successful Surgery
Facing surgery can be a frightening, overwhelming experience. However there are things you can do prior to a procedure, such as doing research, selecting the right surgical team, asking questions, choosing a well-disinfected hospital or surgery center, selecting your surgery time and taking care of home obligations, that can go a long way toward easing your mind and avoiding post-surgery complications.
Preparing for a Safe, Successful Surgery(Family Features) Facing surgery can be a frightening, overwhelming experience. Thousands of surgeries are performed every day and many result in the patient contracting a surgical site infection (SSI). According to the CDC, SSIs are the most common healthcare-associated infection (HAI), accounting for 31 percent of all HAIs among hospitalized patients. However there are things you can do prior to a procedure that can go a long way toward easing your mind and avoiding post-surgery complications. Do Your Research. Learn about the procedure you will be having, including any short- or long-term side effects. Find out what the professionals recommend for the recovery process. Make sure you understand what your medical insurance covers and what your out-of-pocket responsibility will be. Select the Right Team. Choose an experienced surgeon that specializes in the procedure you need. Do your homework on potential candidates, including learning their qualifications, specialties and amount of similar procedures performed. Pick a surgical team that you communicate well with, respects you and makes you feel at ease. Websites such as Yelp and HealthGrades can provide patient feedback on a surgeon’s performance. Ask Questions. Since there are often several ways to perform a procedure, ask your doctor to explain the surgery. Discuss any risks, benefits and/or alternatives to the preferred method. Sometimes physicians will provide a reference patient who can tell you about their experience with the same procedure.  Contact the facility and ask about how they clean the operating rooms (ORs) and recovery areas – you want to go to the cleanest and most disinfected surgery center in your area. Just because an OR looks clean does not mean that dangerous microscopic superbugs aren’t lurking on surfaces in the room. Some hospitals use a Xenex LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robot, for example, that pulses xenon ultraviolet (UV) light to quickly destroy deadly germs and bacteria that can cause infections. Trinity Medical Center in Alabama reported a 100 percent decrease in joint (knee and hip) infections after it began using the robot to disinfect its ORs. Another hospital, Lowell General Hospital in Massachusetts, recently reported a 46 percent decrease in SSIs after utilizing a Xenex disinfection robot. Select Your Surgery Time. Requesting a day early in the week, but not on Monday, and a time early in the day can decrease your odds of being exposed to germs and bacteria. ORs are deep cleaned each night, with quick cleans between each surgery. Since there are few surgeries on weekends, there may not be a cleaning crew available on Sunday night. Additionally, according to a UK study, the odds of death within 30 days after surgery were significantly higher the later in the week a surgery takes place. Take Care of Home Responsibilities. Prior to surgery, get your home in order by cleaning, paying bills and running errands. Arrange for transportation to and from the hospital if anesthesia will be used. Many factors influence the risk of getting an SSI, but patients have some control. To learn more about hospital acquired infections and how they can be prevented, visit Xenex.com/StopHAIs. SOURCE:
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