“We Are Extremely Proud”

From left: Certified Nurse Midwife Emily Thrower; Shelly Brink, RN; Jackie Kozitzki, RN; and Gigi Hines, RN, are part of Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial’s maternity care team that was recognized for maternal care from the Michigan Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (MI AIM) for 2020.

Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial Earns Another Top Maternity Care Honor
Designation denotes safe patient outcomes at Family Birthing Center.
 
 Fremont, Mich., May 26, 2021 – Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial has earned a platinum designation – the highest recognition – for maternal care from the Michigan Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (MI AIM).
 
MI AIM works with birthing hospitals to reduce and eliminate preventable maternal mortality and severe morbidity. Hospitals implement structured “safety bundle” plans to improve health outcomes for mothers to combat the leading causes of maternal mortality such as obstetric hemorrhage and severe hypertension.
 
“For Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial, the top designation from the Michigan Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health is a testament to the outstanding work our team does every day to provide personalized, compassionate and quality care for mothers and their children,” said Gerber Memorial President Drew Dostal. “We are extremely proud of our physicians, physician assistants, nurse midwives, nursing team and many others for their commitment to caring for moms and their children before, during and after birth so they can enjoy a strong start in life. From helping mothers-to-be embrace healthy habits to connecting parents with local resources, our maternity care team truly embodies Spectrum Health’s mission to improve health for the families we serve.” 
 
Safety bundle plans help hospitals by defining actionable protocols, education, equipment and drills to prevent and treat serious maternal events.
 
The platinum designation is MI AIM’s highest rating. Hospital designations were announced May 25. Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial Hospital was one of seven Spectrum Health Hospitals to earn the platinum designation for the 2020 year. The others are:
 

• Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids
• United Hospital in Greenville
• Big Rapids Hospital in Big Rapids
• Pennock Hospital in Hastings
• Zeeland Community Hospital in Zeeland
• Lakeland Hospital in Niles

 
Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital and Spectrum Health Lakeland Saint Joseph Hospital earned gold level designation, the second-highest ranking.
The AIM MI award is Gerber Memorial’s second top award for maternity care this year. Earlier this month, The Economic Alliance for Michigan (EAM) awarded Gerber Memorial Hospital with a Hospital Maternity Care Excellence Award for the third year in a row. The EAM award recognizes hospitals that are effectively working toward helping decrease the state’s infant mortality rate, reduce the rate of unnecessary C-sections, and be an educational resource for new and expecting parents residing in Michigan.