Northwest Health – Porter in Valparaiso, Indiana recently celebrated five years of partnership with Ob Hospitalist Group (OBHG). This partnership has been instrumental in enhancing the quality of care provided to women and children in the Valparaiso area and surrounding counties.
To mark this special occasion, the team celebrated with a hospital presentation, a tour of labor and delivery and NICU, and a cookie party with the ER, MFM, NICU, Postpartum, Labor and Delivery and Executive departments, emphasizing the program’s impact on patient care and community service.
OBHG has played a crucial role in the hospital’s growth, helping to advance its mission of providing comprehensive care to women in the community.
“The hospital’s growth has been incredible since we earned the perinatal level three designation. We now have a NICU and a maternal transport team that can retrieve NICU babies or high-risk moms and bring them back here for care. We’ve also brought on not just one, but two maternal fetal medicine specialists to support the program. It’s a busy, rewarding experience, and it fills me with pride knowing the services we provide benefit not only our county but the surrounding counties as well.
Due to challenges facing the healthcare system across the country, and particularly in Indiana, OB/GYNs are becoming increasingly scarce. With more critical access counties around us closing their OB units one after another, it’s like watching statues fall. I’m proud that we’re able to offer such essential services to more and more women in Northwest Indiana.” – Dr. Elizabeth Rutherford, OBHG Site Director
The five-year anniversary presentation showcased metrics such as a threefold increase in OBED visits and a significant rise in hospitalist service volume. The hospital now has a Level 3 NICU, maternal transport team, and two maternal fetal medicine specialists. The hospitalist program has grown, serving as an extension to the MFM team, and overseeing a residency program.