-Submitted photo
With big smiles beneath their masks, staff at Stewart Memorial Community Hospital are proud to announce they have been awarded the Women's Choice Award as one of America's best hospitals in obstetrics. Pictured from left to right: Ann Lengeling, chief nursing officer; Jenni Macke, RN, director of obstetrics; Dr. Derek Duncan; Dr. Susan Hornback; and Ashley Mork, RN, nurse educator.

LAKE CITY — Stewart Memorial Community Hospital recently earned the 2021 Women’s Choice Award as one of America’s Best Hospitals for Obstetrics. This places SMCH among the top 15 percent of hositals considered the best in which to have a baby.

About 400 hospitals nationwide met the award’s robust evidence-based criteria that consider female patient satisfaction data, clinical excellence and feedback from women about what they want from a hospital.

“We are excited to again receive the Woman’s Choice Award for the fifth time since 2013,” said Jenni Macke, SMCH manager of obstetrics. “The birth of a baby is a magical time. I have helped mothers in labor and delivery for 26 years, and I still love the anticipation and birth experience.

“Dr. Derek Duncan and Dr. Susan Hornback are exceedingly knowledgeable, calm and compassionate as they welcome babies into the world, and it’s a pleasure to work with them. SMCH nurses have learned bedside techniques to help relax tight ligaments, help babies rotate into the optimal position for birth, and help decrease mom’s pain. Our board certified nurse anesthetists play an important role in pain management and comfort solutions for our moms. Our compassionate and caring staff have over 138 years of combined OB experiences and are ready to deliver an outstanding experience.”

With 3,745,540 babies born in the United States in 2019, choosing where to deliver is an important decision.

“New moms have many choices when it comes to having their baby, so choosing the best birthing experience is right up there with choosing the best doctor. We’ve made it easy for moms to vet out the hospitals that are proven to deliver an outstanding experience,” said Delia Passi founder and CEO of the Women’s Choice Award.

According to the Women’s Choice Award organization, award winners offer exceptional obstetric services which ranked above the national average for patient safety. The scoring process is also unique in that it is the only national list that is evidence-based and focuses on female patient satisfaction. Awarded hospitals ranked above the national average for patient recommendations, as indicated by the data reported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) surveys. Additional considerations included having a NICU on-site and a low early elective delivery ranking.