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WMC improves safety, security

New protections offered for newborns and moms

SAFETY FIRST — A visitor registers with Weirton Medical Center’s new GuardianStat Security System outside of the hospital’s labor and delivery unit. The system is among the latest safety efforts at the hospital. -- Craig Howell

WEIRTON — Safety is of the utmost importance at Weirton Medical Center, according to hospital officials. That’s especially true for its youngest patients.

With that in mind, Weirton Medical on Wednesday unveiled some of its latest safety measures aimed at newborns and new mothers.

As part of its Baby Safety Day, hospital officials unveiled three initiatives geared toward promoting better health and safety for moms and babies, including the hospital’s new perinatal patient navigator position, a new visitor registration system and new sleep sacks — swaddling blankets which will be given to every baby born at the hospital.

“We take safety seriously,” Dave Artman, vice president of operations at WMC, explained, noting the new programs will augment existing measures at the hospital.

Among the programs is the installation of a GuardianStat Security System in the labor and delivery unit.

GuardianStat joins previous efforts, which include alarm and lock systems in the unit to prevent the removal of newborns. As part of GuardianStat, visitors must check in by having their driver’s license scanned and entering personal information into a computer system and then printing out a temporary identification tag, which must be worn at all times.

“Our unit is secure,” Artman said. “They cannot have access to that unit without that badge.”

Artman explained the information entered by visitors is logged into the system, allowing hospital officials to know who is in the area at all times.

The hospital is constantly looking at new efforts to provide improved security for its patients, officials said, including frequent work with the Weirton Police Department.

“We don’t want to leave any stone unturned,” WMC Director of Communications Kelli McCoy said.

Also among the new initiatives has been the creation of the post of perinatal patient navigator at Weirton Medical. The position has been in existence since January, with the goal of coordinating medical care and resources for new moms and babies, including providing basic necessities and counseling for those dealing with substance abuse issues.

“That’s a relationship that starts at the beginning of a pregnancy, and lasts six weeks after they go home,” McCoy said.

The new position is part of a cooperative effort between Weirton Medical and the West Virginia Perinatal Partnership, with a grant provided to the hospital for staffing and education.

“Together, we work as a partnership,” said Denise Westwood, chief nursing officer. “It’s very important to us. It’s a commitment we’ve made to the community.”

Representatives of the West Virginia Perinatal Partnership also were on hand Wednesday, offering a smoking cessation program to Weirton Medical’s All About Women Health Associates.

(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com, and followed via Twitter @CHowellWDT)

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