Quality and safety metrics help push hospital to top of Mississippi rankings for maternity care

Gulfport, MS – Garden Park Medical Center has been named to Newsweek’s 2020 “Best Maternity Hospitals” list, based on rigorous requirements and high standards for safety and quality performance. Garden Park is one of just 231 U.S. hospitals – and the only hospital in Mississippi – to be named to the list.

“There’s nothing more important to a young family than the safety of baby and mother,” said Randy Rogers, Garden Park CEO. “Everyone involved with the Family Birth Center at Garden Park – from our exceptional obstetricians, to the area’s only certified midwives, to our outstanding nurses and staff – is focused on the safety and comfort of our patients.

“We are thrilled – but honestly not surprised – to be named to this prestigious list. We’ve worked hard to develop a personalized, patient-centered delivery experience that’s second to none in our region.”

Facilities included in the “Best Maternity Hospital” list include those with low rates of C–section, episiotomy and early elective deliveries, as well as those that follow crucial, best–practice protocols to protect mother and babies. Newsweek partnered with The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit organization committed to improving healthcare quality and safety for consumers, to review quality data and determine the 2020 list.

“Patient safety is now more important than ever,” said Wanda McClain, director of women’s and children’s services at Garden Park. “Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve taken every precaution to keep both patients and staff protected, while still providing a compassionate, highly personal experience.”

This is the latest quality accolade earned by Garden Park, which earlier this year was awarded its fourth straight “A” in The Leapfrog Group's Spring 2020 Hospital Safety Grade. Garden Park was also recently named the top hospital in Mississippi by the Lown Institute Hospitals Index, which honors hospitals for both their excellence in serving individual patients and for their role in advancing equity in their communities.

The full list of “Best Maternity Hospitals” can be found at Newsweek.com. For more information about Garden Park and its maternity services, please visit GardenParkMedical.com.

About Garden Park Medical Center

Garden Park Medical Center is a 130-bed acute care facility located at the intersection of I–10 and Hwy. 49 in Gulfport, Mississippi. The hospital provides an extensive array of inpatient and outpatient services, including 24-hour emergency room services. The hospital is an affiliate of HCA Healthcare, the nation’s leading provider of healthcare services with more than 185 hospitals and 115 outpatient centers in 20 states and England. Garden Park is fully accredited by the Joint Commission. The facility offers some of the most comprehensive services in Harrison County, featuring all private rooms with a number of specialty services, including Seasons Behavioral Health Center, Family Birth Center, Level III Trauma Center, Outpatient Rehabilitation, The Wound Healing Center and more. For more information, visit gardenparkmedical.com.