Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report in its annual list of best hospitals for maternity care. The list classifies the hospital as “high performing,” the highest level of achievement.
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center is one of 24 Advocate Health hospitals named to the list. Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and Atrium Health are both part of Charlotte-based Advocate Health.
“We are pleased to be named to U.S. News & World Report’s list of ‘Best Maternity Hospitals’ and to be included among the best-of-the-best for maternity care,” said Alisa Starbuck, president of The Birth Center at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and vice president of women’s and children’s health services. “Every member of our team is dedicated to providing the safest, most advanced and highest quality labor and delivery care to all who count on us, from routine to high-risk pregnancies.”
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center opened The Birth Center and the Dale and Karen Sisel Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in 2019. More than 15,000 babies have been born at The Birth Center, and thousands have been cared for in the Level IV NICU, the highest possible designation.
As the only health system in the area with specialists in both fertility and high-risk pregnancies, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist offers the region’s only complete midwifery program, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, breastfeeding support and access to the full range of maternity services.
"This recognition underscores our unwavering dedication to providing exceptional maternity care," said Dr. Scott Rissmiller, executive vice president and chief physician executive for Advocate Health. "Our commitment to clinical excellence and patient-centered care ensures that families receive the highest quality of care during one of the most important times in their lives."
The U.S. News Best Hospitals for Maternity Care methodology is based entirely on objective measures of quality, such as cesarean section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe unexpected newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, birthing-friendly practices and reporting on racial/ethnic disparities, among other measures.
Other Atrium Health high performing maternity hospitals in North Carolina include:
- Atrium Health Cabarrus in Concord
- Atrium Health Pineville in Charlotte
- Atrium Health Stanly in Albemarle
- Atrium Health Union in Monroe
- Atrium Health Union West in Matthews
Earlier this year, Advocate Health was recognized by U.S. News & World Report with eight “Top 50” rankings and 32 “High Performing” specialties at its hospitals.
Media contacts:
Jenna Kurzyna, jkurzyna@wakehealth.edu; Joe McCloskey, jmcclosk@wakehealth.edu