Neonatal Mortality

Why is this important?

The most common causes of death in the first four weeks of life are birth defects and
prematurity, along with its complications.  The neonatal mortality rate is important because it is partly related to the health of the community, the health of the mother before and during pregnancy and special problems in the newborn.  This rate also varies from hospital to hospital based on the type of patients receiving care.  For example, centers caring for sicker patients can be expected to have higher mortality rates.

How WellSpan Compares

WellSpan’s newborns are cared for in two institutions: Gettysburg Hospital and York Hospital.  Gettysburg’s nursery is a well baby nursery.  York Hospital has both a well baby nursery and a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).  The York Hospital NICU cares for the sickest and tiniest newborns who deliver at York Hospital and several surrounding, smaller hospitals.  York Hospital’s NICU is designated at the highest level for intensive care babies.  The well baby nurseries at both York and Gettysburg have highly trained staff.  WellSpan’s outcomes and mortality statistics compare favorably with those in the rest of the state and nation.

What we are doing to improve our performance.

WellSpan’s neonatology physicians are on-duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to any emergency.  WellSpan’s staff of doctors, nurses and allied health professionals and specialists in newborn intensive care constantly reviews outcomes for patients.  WellSpan participates in an international tracking system to compare statistics with those of other NICUs throughout the United States and the rest of the world.  WellSpan adjusts its practices, treatments and equipment based on new evidence as it emerges in the medical literature.