U.S. News & World Report Names UM Shore Medical Center at Easton As A High Performing Hospital for Maternity Care

University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton has been recognized as High Performing in Maternity Care (Uncomplicated Pregnancy) by U.S. News & World Report. This is the first time U.S. News has published a list of Best Hospitals for Maternity Care.

"There are so many team members who deserve credit for this excellent recognition — our physicians and advanced practice providers, our nursing team and techs, our educators and all those team members that support our new babies and their moms and dads at UM Shore Regional Health Birthing Center at Easton," said Ken Kozel, President and CEO of UM Shore Regional Health. "On behalf of the Board of UM Shore Regional Health and our senior leadership, I'm very pleased to express our appreciation for the outstanding teamwork that is helping us achieve our vision, to be the region's leader in patient-centered health care."

To be recognized among the Best Hospitals for Maternity, hospitals had to excel on multiple quality metrics that matter to expectant families, including complication rates, C-sections, whether births were scheduled too early in pregnancy and how successfully each hospital supported breastfeeding. Only one-third of the hospitals evaluated by U.S. News for maternity care earned a 'High Performing' rating.

"Even with all of the challenges facing our staff over the past few years, including a global pandemic, I am proud that our staff at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health's Birthing Center at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton has maintained such a high standard for maternal care," said Javier Cajina, MD, Director, Birthing Center, UM Shore Regional Health. "This is a testament to the continued dedication to excellence in health care by our administrators, as well as the commitment and selflessness of all team members."

Unique to the U.S. News site, participating hospital profiles are a one-stop shop and include a variety of relevant offerings for parents-to-be including key measures of safety, alongside services and amenities, like private rooms, valet parking and availability of child-birthing classes.

"I am incredibly proud of our nurses in the Birthing Center," said Jenny Bowie, Vice President, Patient Care Services, and Chief Nursing Officer. "They love caring for the families in our community and value every life that they touch. It is an incredible moment to welcome a new little one into the world and our team makes every delivery special."

The evaluation looks at hospital data relating to only uncomplicated pregnancies, not high-risk pregnancies. Participating hospitals responded to a survey from the U.S. News health analysis team in spring 2021, which reflects data from 2019. Participation was voluntary.

"All families deserve to be informed on how hospitals perform on key indicators of quality, which is why U.S. News has compiled and published a trove of maternal health data from hospitals across the country," said Ben Harder, managing editor and chief of health analysis at U.S. News & World Report. "The hospitals we've recognized as High Performing meet a high standard in caring for patients with uncomplicated pregnancies."