Allegheny Health Network’s Wexford Hospital Earns Center of Excellence Designation for Obstetric Anesthesia Care

PINE TWP., Pa –  Allegheny Health Network’s (AHN) Wexford Hospital announced today it has earned the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology’s (SOAP) Center of Excellence (COE) designation, recognizing the hospital’s commitment to delivering exceptional care for expectant mothers before, during and after childbirth.

“This recognition as a SOAP Center of Excellence reflects the exceptional skill, collaboration and dedication of our entire clinical care team at AHN Wexford,” said Allan Klapper, MD, OB/GYN and president of AHN Wexford Hospital. “We are deeply committed to providing a safe, supportive and highly personalized experience for each and every patient, mother and baby we serve.”

Obstetric anesthesia refers to the specialized pain management and anesthetic care provided to women during pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum recovery. This includes epidural and spinal anesthesia for vaginal births, anesthesia for cesarean deliveries, and the management of complex maternal conditions that may require advanced anesthetic expertise.

Epidural anesthesia, the most common form of anesthesia for vaginal births, is chosen by a significant majority of laboring women in the United States, with utilization rates exceeding 70%.

All cesarean sections — representing roughly 33% of all births nationwide — require obstetric anesthesia, typically administered via regional techniques such as spinal or epidural blocks.

At AHN Wexford, board-certified obstetric anesthesiologists are available around the clock, working in close collaboration with obstetricians, neonatologists, advanced practice providers, nurses and other specialists to best ensure healthy and safe deliveries.

“High-quality obstetric anesthesia is fundamental to ensuring safe outcomes and a positive childbirth experience,” said Marcia Klein-Patel, MD, PhD, Chair of the AHN Women’s Institute. “This designation recognizes our ability to provide evidence-based, patient-centered care across the full spectrum of labor and delivery, from low-risk, routine births to the most complex of cases.”

For COE designation, facilities must meet certain evidence-based criteria in personnel and staffing; equipment, protocols, and policies; simulation and team training; obstetric emergency management; cesarean delivery and labor analgesia (relief of pain without loss of consciousness) care; recommendations and guidelines implementation; and quality assurance and patient follow-up systems.

Launched in September 2021, AHN Wexford’s maternity program offers beautiful, state-of-the-art private birthing and postpartum suites. Leading multidisciplinary care teams provide the highest level of obstetric and pediatric care and have welcomed more than 6,600 babies since opening. The facility also features a Level II neonatal intensive care unit for newborns who may need a higher level of care and observation following birth.

It is one of the busiest labor and delivery programs within the Network. To make an appointment, call 412-DOCTORS. Virtual tour of AHN Wexford’s labor & delivery unit can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV4nRy-1CBk

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Media Contact:
Nikki Buccina
Allegheny Health Network
Dominique.Buccina@HighmarkHealth.org
412-596-2679 (cell)