The childbirth team at Gadsden Regional Medical Center has implemented an artificial intelligence-based maternal-fetal early warning system called PeriWatch Vigilance to enhance patient safety during labor and delivery.
The system continuously monitors maternal vital signs, fetal heart rate, contractions, and labor progression to help clinicians quickly identify any concerning developments for faster intervention, the center says
Gadsden Regional Medical Center delivers more than 800 babies each year. Xavier Smith, MD, an obstetrician at Gadsden Regional Medical Center and Women’s Health Partners, indicates this new technology is an important resource to support maternal/fetal health and safe deliveries.
“Every delivery is unique so the health and well-being of every mom and baby is our priority during childbirth,” says Smith. “While most births happen without complication, there are some inherent risks in the delivery of a newborn. This new technology adds another layer of protection throughout the labor process to help our maternity team recognize, prevent and respond to avoidable complications.”
Through pattern recognition, the technology can also pinpoint opportunities for overall improvement based on consolidated data from multiple births. As the maternity team reviews trends and identifies areas where improvement is possible, the hospital can use that information to develop protocols that further increase safety and may lead to better outcomes for mothers and babies.
“By investing in this technology, Gadsden Regional is making labor and delivery safer for mothers and babies,” says CEO Justin Bryant. “Our physicians and nurses are highly skilled medical professionals and excellent caregivers and they appreciate the use of technology to support their work, especially when it helps keep our patients safe.”
In 2021, Gadsden Regional completed a $1.5 million dollar renovation to the labor and delivery unit, which includes four private labor and delivery rooms, six postpartum rooms, a dedicated family waiting room, two C-section operating rooms, and five triage rooms. The labor and delivery unit at Gadsden Regional is also a Blue Cross and Blue Shield Blue Distinction Center+ for Maternity Care.
