Ob Hospitalist Group (OBHG) and St. Joseph’s Hospital – North have worked together for 15 years, and the program has grown with the hospital’s needs. Today it provides 24-hour OB/GYN hospitalist coverage supported by a multidisciplinary physician team and an engaged hospital administration.
Coverage built around the hospital’s growth
The program originally provided 12 hours of on-site coverage and 12 hours on call. After St. Joseph’s Hospital – North opened a neonatal intensive care unit, the hospital needed round-the-clock presence, and the program moved to 24-hour coverage in 2026. The team includes several full-time and part-time OB/GYN physicians, and the schedule is currently set through January 1, 2028, with flexibility for swaps and vacation adjustments.
St. Joseph’s Hospital – North is one of the few hospitals in the area where hospitalist physician shifts are scheduled a full year ahead. That stability reflects the strength of the program and how much physicians enjoy working in the hospital’s supportive environment.
“The hospitalist model was established to improve emergency obstetric safety by having physicians in labor and delivery around the clock,” said Dr. Dalibor Hradek, OBHG Site Director, who has been with the program since shortly after the hospital opened.
A team with focused clinical expertise
Physicians on the team contribute experience that supports quality and safety goals at the bedside and across the hospital:
| Area | Contribution |
| Surgical care | Experienced surgeons with robotic surgery privileges (Dr. Dalibor Hradek and Dr. Robert Smith) |
| C-section reduction | Data collection toward a rate below 20%, aligned with American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) guidance (Dr. Niraj Patel) |
| Episiotomy reduction | Leadership toward a rate below 5% (Dr. Howard Johnson) |
| Medical-legal education | Training for the team on medical-legal issues (Dr. Molly Long) |
| Maternal mortality trends | Monthly updates on national trends and lessons from other hospitals, drawn from ACOG committee work and shared at a general level (Dr. Carol Cox) |
| Language and patient connection | Spanish and Portuguese instruction for colleagues (Dr. Isaias Coelho) |
| Education and residency | Student teaching and residency program experience (Dr. David Mateo) |
The team takes part in ACOG activities and in a quality and safety committee that serves St. Joseph’s Hospital – North and its sister hospital, St. Joseph Women’s Hospital. Monthly teleconferences give clinicians a regular forum to review updates and share learning. Dr. Hradek is a member of the quality and safety committee.
Investing in the next generation of clinicians
The program hosts medical, pharmacy, and physician assistant students, primarily from South University, with up to four students at a time. The hospital values these students as future colleagues and as ambassadors for the facility. Dr. Hradek is a professor at South University and has served for many years as a preceptor for its physician assistant program. OB/GYN residents from St. Joseph Women’s may begin rotating through the program next year.
Access that supports safe decisions
Hospitalists at St. Joseph’s Hospital – North can reach intensivists, cardiologists, and other consultants at any hour, including overnight. This direct access helps clinicians quickly determine the urgency of a situation is and coordinate the right response.
Dr. Hradek credited hospital leadership for the program’s stability, describing the hospital’s executive team as accessible and responsive whenever safety or operational concerns arise.
“Our 15-year partnership with Ob Hospitalist Group reflects what strong clinical collaboration should look like,” said Sara Dodds, president of St. Joseph’s Hospital – North. “The physicians are deeply integrated into our team and share our commitment to safe, high-quality care for every mother and baby. We greatly value the expertise the OBHG team brings to St. Joseph’s Hospital – North.”
A partnership built to last
After 15 years, the program reflects what a hospital and a hospitalist group can build together: reliable coverage, shared quality goals, and a team that keeps learning. As St. Joseph’s Hospital – North grows, OBHG remains committed to supporting its patients, its medical staff, and its community.