AdventHealth Wesley Chapel Awarded New Distinction for Maternity Care

This designation highlights AdventHealth Wesley Chapel’s commitment to delivering high-quality care to expectant parents in states that lack adequate access to maternity services. Nearly 11 percent of Floridians have no birthing hospital within a 30-minute drive, and 13 Florida counties are considered maternity care deserts, according to a recent report from the March of Dimes.

Additionally, the March of Dimes reports that women in Florida have a very high vulnerability to adverse outcomes due to the availability of reproductive healthcare services, and 20.8 percent of mothers received no or inadequate prenatal care, greater than the U.S. rate of 14.8 percent.

Maternity Care Access Hospitals like AdventHealth Wesley Chapel are now helping close gaps in maternity care across the state.

“We are honored to have U.S. News & World Report recognize our dedication to the well-being of mothers and babies in Pasco County,” President and CEO of AdventHealth Wesley Chapel Erik Wangsness said. “This stands as a testament to our commitment in delivering the best clinical outcomes for families within our community,”

Hospitals with this designation have C-section rates 26 percent lower and newborn complication rates 37 percent lower than unrecognized hospitals that participated in the survey.

“The early days and months of a baby's life are crucial for their development, and the well-being of the mother directly impacts the child,” said Dawn Hicks-Waldron, Chief Nursing Officer of AdventHealth Wesley Chapel. “By offering support, education, and compassionate care, we can contribute to the foundation of a healthy and thriving family."

The U.S. News Maternity Care Access Hospitals designation is based on several measures, including geographic isolation, number of obstetric providers per 10,000 births, and hospital quality. Quality measures are outlined in the Best Hospitals for Maternity Care methodology.

“Being named a Maternity Care Access Hospital is a special recognition of hospitals across the U.S. which serve communities that depend on them for access to vital maternity care services,” said Jennifer Winston, health data scientist at U.S. News. “While an increasing number of maternity care deserts in parts of the country have left millions of people without local access to maternity care, these hospitals persist in providing this vital service to under-resourced communities.”

This is the first time U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care is recognizing 73 “Maternity Care Access Hospitals” across the nation. U.S. News & World Report is the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice.

For more information, visit Best Hospitals for Maternity Care and use #BestMaternityHospitals on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).