Cheryl Martin (Host): Mercy Medical Center in Merced is opening an Obstetrical Emergency Department in the Family Birth Center. And here to tell us all about the important benefits this addition will bring to the community and what it means for expecting and postpartum mothers, is Lindsey O'Banion. She's the Clinical Manager of Mercy Medical Center's Family Birth Center.

 This is Hello Healthy, a Dignity Health podcast. I'm Cheryl Martin. Lindsey, this is exciting news for Mercy Medical Center. Why did the center decide to open an Obstetrical Emergency Department or OBED?

Lindsey O'Banion, RN, MSN: Thank you for having me, Cheryl. We are really excited. We decided to open an Obstetrical Emergency Department because pregnant patients are typically the only group of people who present to the hospital with a complaint that may not be seen by a direct physician. So we want to change that.

Host: What will the OBED include?

Lindsey O'Banion, RN, MSN: So, pregnant patients will present to labor and delivery department, and we are going to be an extension of our Emergency Department. So there will be a designated area within the family birth center, where pregnant patients will present and we will be able to assess them and they will be assessed by a physician.

Host: Now you've touched on this a little bit, but what do you see as the benefits package that this Obstetrical Emergency Department will bring to the community at large, as well as to the expecting and postpartum mothers?

Lindsey O'Banion, RN, MSN: So typically what happens now, is when a pregnant patient presents to labor and delivery, they are assessed by a nurse and the nurse will then call their physician and relay that information and the patient may be discharged home, without actually seeing a physician. And we want to change that. With the OBED, they will be assessed by a provider immediately that specializes in the assessments for women in all stages of pregnancy.

Host: Now, who should be seen in an OB Emergency Room?

Lindsey O'Banion, RN, MSN: So we will be seeing patients that are over 20 weeks, that present to us with a pregnancy related complaint. Pregnancy related complaint being, contractions, abdominal trauma, decreased fetal movement, questioning whether their water has broke, active labor, or vaginal bleeding. Those would be obstetrical related complaints.

Host: And how does one check in, Lindsey?

Lindsey O'Banion, RN, MSN: So they will go to the front desk and say that they need to be seen in the OBED. And then, our team of greeters and security officers will let them know where to go up to the second floor.

Host: And when will this emergency department be opening?

Lindsey O'Banion, RN, MSN: We, right now, are in the phases of licensing. Since we are an extension of our ED, we hope that it will be a quicker process, but we're hoping by the end of the year our OB ED will be fully open.

Host: Anything else you'd like us to know?

Lindsey O'Banion, RN, MSN: Yeah, we're just really excited to up our game in the community and allow our patients the proper assessment and specialized assessment in obstetrical care.

Host: Lindsey O'Banion, thanks for coming on to help spread the word about this new addition for expectant and postpartum mothers. Much success when it opens, hopefully by the end of the year.

Lindsey O'Banion, RN, MSN: Thank you so much for having me.

Host: For more information about Mercy Medical Center's Family Birth Center, visit dignityhealth.org/merced/maternity. Again, that's dignityhealth.org/merced/maternity. If you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social media and check out the entire podcast library for other topics of interest to you.

Thanks for listening to Hello Healthy, a Dignity Health podcast.