The new Women’s and Families Hospital in North Philadelphia is set to open its inpatient services on September 3, 2023. This facility aims to centralize all labor and delivery services within the Temple Health system, providing a dedicated space for maternity care. As other labor and delivery programs face reductions or closures, Temple Health intends to address the growing need for maternity services in the region.
In a statement, Sharon Kurfuerst, the hospital’s executive director, emphasized the facility’s role in bridging the gap in maternity care. “We know that there’s a maternal desert out there,” she remarked. “Temple identified the need, listened to the community who identified that need and really invested in being able to close that gap.” Temple Health currently manages approximately 2,000 deliveries annually, but the new hospital is expected to expand its capacity significantly.
The new health campus, located in the former Cancer Centers for America facility in the Lawncrest neighborhood, spans five floors and includes both inpatient and outpatient services. The facility will employ around 385 personnel, including maternal and pediatric healthcare providers, to support its operations.
Enhanced Facilities and Services
The new hospital features private labor and delivery rooms designed for comfort and functionality. During a recent tour, Kurfuerst showcased a spacious delivery room equipped with a central hospital bed and a pullout sleeper sofa, allowing support persons to stay close. Modern lighting installed in the ceiling illuminates the room during delivery, enhancing visibility for medical staff.
Immediately after birth, newborns will be assessed in a bassinet positioned in the delivery room, which is equipped with necessary monitors. The hospital also includes two surgical operating rooms for scheduled and emergency C-section deliveries.
Postpartum recovery will take place in one of the 32 private suites, each featuring dedicated bathrooms and recliners for overnight guests. The design encourages “rooming-in,” where newborns stay with their mothers, fostering better bonding and breastfeeding opportunities.
For infants requiring specialized care, the hospital boasts a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with 41 beds, nearly double the capacity of the NICU at Temple’s Main Campus. An eight-bed intensive care unit is also available for patients with complications from high-risk pregnancies.
Comprehensive Community Health Services
Beyond labor and delivery, the Women and Families Hospital will provide outpatient healthcare services, including radiology, behavioral health, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and cardiology. Many of these services are already operational, ensuring that patients have access to comprehensive care.
Additionally, the ground floor houses an office for the Pennsylvania Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. This program aims to assist low-income mothers and families with resources such as infant formula, breastfeeding support, and nutritional guidance.
The overarching goal of the new hospital is to improve community health outcomes, particularly in reducing infant and maternal mortality rates. “To do that, you need focused care and you need people to be able to access the care when they need it,” Kurfuerst stated.
As the opening date approaches, the Women’s and Families Hospital stands ready to meet the needs of a community eager for enhanced maternity services.
