The new Women’s and Families Hospital, part of the Temple Health system, will officially open its doors for inpatient services on September 3, 2023. This state-of-the-art facility, located in North Philadelphia, aims to centralize all labor and delivery services within the Temple Health network. It comes at a critical time when many regional labor and delivery programs are either shrinking or closing altogether.
Sharon Kurfuerst, the executive director of the new hospital, highlighted the pressing need for improved maternal care in the community. “We know that there’s a maternal desert out there,” she stated. Temple Health, which conducts approximately 2,000 deliveries annually, has recognized this gap and made a significant investment to bridge it.
The hospital is situated at the former Cancer Centers for America facility in the Lawncrest neighborhood. It features five floors dedicated to both inpatient and outpatient services. As part of its expansion, the facility will employ around 385 people, including maternal and pediatric doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers.
Comprehensive Maternity Services and Facilities
The Women’s and Families Hospital is designed to enhance the birthing experience with private labor and delivery rooms. During a recent tour, Kurfuerst showcased a spacious delivery room equipped with a hospital bed and a pullout sleeper sofa for support persons. The room is designed to provide comfort and privacy, ensuring that families can share this significant moment together.
Each delivery room is equipped with necessary medical equipment, including a bassinet with weighing scales for immediate assessments of newborns. Following delivery, families will transition to one of the 32 private maternity suites for postpartum recovery. Each suite is equipped with its own bathroom and recliners for overnight guests, allowing for more family bonding time.
Kurfuerst emphasized the importance of rooming-in arrangements for newborns, stating, “We know that rooming-in of the baby promotes better clinical outcomes for both baby and mom.” This approach supports better bonding and breastfeeding success, critical factors for maternal and infant health.
Expanded Neonatal and Specialty Care
For newborns requiring additional medical attention, the hospital boasts a 41-bed neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), nearly double the size of the NICU at Temple’s Main Campus. This facility will provide specialized care for infants with moderate to severe health issues.
In addition to the NICU, the hospital includes an eight-bed intensive care unit for patients who may experience complications during childbirth, particularly those with high-risk pregnancies. For cases that require highly specialized care, patients can be transferred to the Main Campus as necessary.
Beyond labor and delivery, the Women’s and Families Hospital will also offer a variety of outpatient services. These include radiology, behavioral health, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and cardiology. Many of these services are already operational, catering to the healthcare needs of the surrounding community.
Additionally, the hospital has partnered with the Pennsylvania Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. This program aims to assist low-income families with resources for nutrition education and access to essential supplies, including formula and breastfeeding support.
Kurfuerst articulated the broader mission of the new facility: “We want to reduce infant mortality rates, maternal mortality, and morbidity. To do that, you need focused care and you need people to be able to access the care when they need it.”
The opening of the Women’s and Families Hospital represents a significant step forward for maternity care in North Philadelphia, providing an essential resource for families in the region. As the facility prepares to welcome its first patients, the hope is that it will not only address immediate healthcare needs but also foster long-term improvements in maternal and child health outcomes.
