DINING & ENTERTAINMENT HEALTH WELLNESS
OLYMPIA OB/GYN HEROES:
Babies Born During a Pandemic
Babies are born when they are ready, not when a pandemic says so. Dedicated medical personnel tackle coronavirus challenges to deliver them safely. That’s true of the team at Olympia Obstetrics & Gynecology (OOG) as they work with patients at the office and welcome babies at the Family Birth Center at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia. “We love moms and babies,” said Dr. Darrel Bell. “The virus hasn’t changed how special each delivery has been. I thank all those who protect mothers and babies by wearing masks and practice social distancing.” Providence welcomes moms and an essential support person in the delivery room which, for many patients, creates an intimate experience. These individuals are screened upon entry; moms are also tested. Masking goes without saying… Expecting a newborn during the COVID-19 pandemic adds stress to an already challenging time in a family’s life. As they care for moms and their babies, OOG and Family Birth Center staff work together to maintain the highest standards of care and safety for their patients and families. The goal is to keep newborns with their mothers in their rooms, as a basic tenet of infant and family-centered care. Occasionally, separation is necessary because infant care cannot take place safely in the mom’s room. This is rare. An average of 100 babies
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a month are delivered by OOG’s medical staff with positive patient feedback. OOG is using technology in positive ways to keep everyone safe. Carie Bussey, certified nurse midwife with the clinic, said, “We’ve discovered a lot of silver linings. Health care workers have been forced to hop on the telemedicine effort. We’ve been able to quickly adopt what works for us and patients enjoy some benefits while remaining safely distanced. OOG utilizes a telehealth system that ties the visit to the patient’s electronic health record. Patients receive a link via email or text and can access us through their mobile phones, iPads and desktops.” Deb Cannon, practice manager at the clinic, said, “We are a big family, and maybe none of us really understood what it means to be an ‘essential worker’ until now. We have been proud to have maintained a safe environment for everyone; that includes the babies.” OOG anticipates continuation of masking and social distancing until we have fast, accurate testing and a widely accepted and utilized vaccine. OLYMPIA OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY olyobgyn.com
