Memorial Medical Center, Women & Children’s Hospital Partner To Enhance Labor and Delivery Services in Niagara

Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center has partnered with Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo to add a special kind of physician expertise to its labor and delivery services with the appointment of obstetrician laborists to its medical staff.

Laborists are OB/GYN hospitalists whose presence improves patient safety and outcomes by ensuring a doctor experienced in delivering babies is physically present to work with Memorial’s maternity team.

Like the board certified private practice obstetricians who admit patients to Memorial, laborists use current, evidence-based practice protocols at all stages of labor, delivery and post-delivery care of mother and baby.

“Obstetrics is the sole medical specialty where we know patients will require hospital care,” said Renee Baughman, MD, FACOG, Memorial’s chief of women’s services. “This partnership with Women & Children’s Hospital will provide laborists to work with our established OB/GYNs and medical center staff to provide optimal care and enhance patient satisfaction for expecting mothers.”
“We are very happy to be collaborating and serving the Niagara Falls community through this partnership,” said Allegra Jaros, president of Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo.  “Together, we can ensure the best possible care to our patients and families, in the right place and in the right setting.  We can accomplish all of this while providing access to the regional perinatal center, its specialists and resources at Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo.”

When it is time for a baby to be delivered, patients will be admitted to private accommodations at Memorial Medical Center’s recently remodeled labor and delivery unit and cared for by a team that includes their own obstetricians, laborists from Woman & Children’s Hospital and Memorial’s experienced nursing staff. They will be returned to the care of their community physicians after being discharged from the hospital.
Memorial Women’s Services Director Vicki Smith, MS, RN, WHNP-BC, EFM-C, said the use of laborists benefits patients in several ways including patient safety.

“Time is of the essence when there is an emergency and the presence of a laborist throughout the weekend hours will promote safe patient care in a timely manner,” Smith said. “Laborists will be here solely to take care of laboring patients without distractions or surgical commitments elsewhere. Always having someone here to answer questions and provide support is a plus not only for our patients but for our nursing staff.”

Four laborists currently provide coverage at the Niagara Falls medical center. They areRyan C. Arnold, M.D.; Michael Beckwith, M.D.; Jamie L. Szczepanski, M.D.; and Armand Kirakosyan, M.D.