Combined, the 18-member team at St. Anthony Regional Hospital’s Birth Place have over 300 years of obstetric experience and, according to Director, Pat Hogan, the main reason St. Anthony has been honored by Wellmark Blue Distinction Specialty Care with the 2015 Maternity Care Award. The program recognizes healthcare facilities that demonstrate expertise in delivering quality, specialty care safely, effectively and cost efficiently. These staff members are not only experienced and educated, Hogan said, they are compassionate individuals who truly care about the families they serve. We have nurses who want to exceed the accepted standards of care and grow as healthcare professionals and our physicians and pediatricians are an excellent resource for community members. She said St. Anthony has the ability to provide continued care after the birth, and the doctors look for ways to share their expertise with local families through the community education programs. All staff members are Certified Breastfeeding Educators and the hospital has a Certified Lactation Counselor on staff. They are also Neonatal Resuscitation trained and certified in STABLE, a program designed to make staff proficient in stabilizing an ill infant until transport to a tertiary care facility can be arranged. On average, St. Anthony delivers 360 babies annually and Hogan says they hope to increase that number by providing quality care and affordable access to communities in West Central Iowa.