6 May 2011
The Medibank Private Maternity Experience Index, released today, evaluated the experiences of over 2,000 patients, who recently gave birth in private hospitals, across key areas of care including
staff; support throughout pregnancy, birth and early parenthood; and hospital environment.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of St John of God Health Care, Dr Michael Stanford, said it was particularly pleasing to see two regional hospitals in Victoria’ top three ranked hospitals. The top
ranked hospital – and another Catholic hospital – was Melbourne’s Cabrini Hospital.
“This vote of confidence in and appreciation of the quality of our care for mothers, fathers and their newborns is fitting recognition of the skill and dedication of our teams of midwives and support staff, as well as the obstetricians who choose to care for their patients at our hospitals,” he said.
Last financial year, St John of God Hospital Ballarat welcomed 471 babies into the world, while St John of God Hospital Bendigo welcomed 377.
“Between them and over the past five years, our Ballarat and Bendigo hospitals have contributed to delivering 4,360 babies who represent such tremendous potential for the future of regional Victoria,” Dr Stanford said.
St John of God Hospital Ballarat Acting Chief Executive Officer, Donna Walter, said that the hospital’s recent $65m redevelopment had ensured that the hospital’s long standing reputation for excellent maternity services was now matched by comfortable, state of the art birthing suites and patient rooms where families felt welcomed and supported.
Both St John of God Hospital Ballarat, through its new St John of God Raphael House, and St John of God Hospital Bendigo, through its involvement in St Luke’s postnatal depression program, Seeds of Recovery, are also helping meet critical community need by providing services supporting women and their families affected by antenatal and postnatal anxiety and depression.
“St John of God Raphael House is part of our commitment, through our Social Outreach and Advocacy services, to providing free or low cost services to people experiencing disadvantage,” Ms
Walter said. “Our desire to provide services in the community, well beyond the walls of our hospitals, is an important part of who we are as a leading Catholic, not for profit health care group.”
St John of God Hospital Bendigo Chief Executive Officer Michael Hogan said the survey results were particularly pleasing as the hospital is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary. “We are
committed to ensuring that regional Victorians have the same access to high quality health care services as people in Melbourne, and the results of this survey clearly demonstrate that regional
hospitals can be ‘up there’ with larger metropolitan hospitals,” Mr Hogan said.
St John of God Health Care runs 13 private hospitals (2,022 beds), home nursing, pathology services and Social Outreach and Advocacy services. The organisation reinvests revenue in improving the health of communities by increasing facilities and services, investing in technology and providing a range of health services to people experiencing disadvantage.