The best part of Laura Griffith-Gilbert's day is connecting with new mothers and holding babies.
As System Director of Women's and Children's Services at Sinai Chicago, Griffith-Gilbert is devoted to making sure that "when life begins at Sinai, it begins in the best possible environment."
Each year, over 1,500 babies are welcomed into the world at Sinai Chicago--a longstanding JUF affiliate agency that provides essential care to underserved communities.
The hospital's service area encompasses 1.5 million people, and it is a "super safety net hospital," meaning Sinai takes referrals from smaller safety-net institutions, according to Dr. Ngoze Ezike, President and CEO of Sinai Chicago. Even as the cost of uncompensated, or charity, care has risen, Sinai remains one of the top providers in the country--providing more than $50 million in uncompensated care every year.
Dr. Richard Trester, who joined Sinai in 1995, has served as chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYN) for more than a decade. "When women become pregnant, there's a process they go through," he explained. "Our staff are experts at helping people navigate that process, putting their fears at ease, and helping them go home with a healthy baby…so that they can look back on this as a joyous time."
In addition to labor and delivery, Sinai offers prenatal care and a diaper bank, which provides free diapers for up to six months following delivery at the hospital.
"Many people may know Mount Sinai Hospital as a trauma center," Ezike said. "But mothers have babies at Sinai every day. Families begin and grow here. Sinai is a place where life starts. Our mission at Sinai Chicago to deliver compassionate, quality care is part of an ongoing commitment to provide the best beginning for the mothers and babies in our communities."
The southwest side of Chicago sees many healthcare disparities, including major inequities in maternal and infant health outcomes. The community, which is largely comprised of people who are Black and Latinx, is at higher risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and of hypertension, which can lead to maternal mortality. In fact, the maternal mortality rate for Latina women in Chicago is twice as high as that of white women, and nearly six times as high for Black women.
Sinai's holistic approach encompasses everything from midwifery to robotic surgery. For emergencies, the hospital has onsite perinatologists and neonatologists, as well as a Level III neo-natal intensive care unit.
Another program, Better Birth Outcomes, reaches thousands with nurse care-managers, educating the community about birth, nutrition, and safety.
"We see a great need for community outreach-to make sure that even after they have their baby, we can supply parents with the tools to care for their newborn," Trester said.
Sinai also partners with the Chicago Department of Public Health, WIC--Women, Infant, Children, and Family Case Management, a state-wide program for Medicaid--eligible pregnant women and infants. It was also one of the trial hospitals for Family Connects Chicago, which offers in-home visits from Sinai nurses a month after delivery to ensure that mothers and babies are thriving and even check that car seats are secure.
"Being an educational institution keeps our expertise high," said Trester, who oversees 16 OB-GYN residents. Sinai plans to advance maternal and infant health equity by expanding coordination and support services like community health workers, investing in critical capital and equipment, and expanding partnerships with community organizations.
Among Sinai's greatest assets is the dedication of its staff. "Many of our physicians have been here 20 or 30 years," Trester noted. "Once [this work] gets under your skin, you stay. You feel that this community is where you can make a difference and an impact in people's lives."
"We are really here to provide the perfect birth experience," Griffith-Gilbert added.
For more information about Sinai Chicago's maternal health care services, visit
tinyurl.com/SinaiChicagoMoms
.
To help families in need of diapers, visit Sinai Chicago's diaper bank at
sinaichicago.org/en/sinaichicagodiaperbank
.
Sinai Chicago is a partner with JUF in serving our community.
