The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has designated the Labor and Delivery Unit at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center (HRMC) as the “Best of the Best” in newborn screening services. More than 140 hospitals and healthcare organizations in Kansas were evaluated and HRMC was one of only three healthcare organizations to achieve this prestigious award.
KDHE partnered with the Kansas Hospital Association (KHA) and the Kansas Midwives Alliance to establish this annual program in 2020. Categories included CCHD training, hearing screening, collection age, transit time, and unsatisfactory rate for metabolic and genetic screening. The other two “Best of Best” designees for this year are Sabetha Community Hospital and Newman Regional Health Center in Emporia.
Ashley Goss, Acting Secretary for KDHE, gave Hutchinson Regional high marks for their excellence in prenatal care. “We’re very pleased with the report that facilities have put forth to improve the quality of newborn screening,” Goss said. “This awards program is an opportunity to recognize their dedication and honor their service to the families of Kansas.”
Jill White, Director of Patient Care Services for Hutchinson Regional, echoed the KDHE statement and said the staff in the Labor and Delivery Unit is committed to excellence in providing patient care to mother and newborn. “I was not surprised the Labor and Delivery Unit achieved this high honor as I see every day the dedication and hard work performed by the unit staff,” White said. “The staff is never satisfied with the status quo but daily seeks a better way to provide patient care.” 
Ken Johnson, President and CEO of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System (HRHS) said the hospital commonly achieves commendations and awards for excellence, yet this award stands out, since only two percent of Kansas’ hospitals and healthcare organizations achieved this designation. “As we start a new year with a multitude of challenges regarding COVID-19, we must still excel at treating so many other healthcare needs,” Johnson said. “The Labor and Delivery Unit at Hutchinson Regional leads the way by giving babies and families the ‘best of the best’ and they inspire the same in the rest of us.”
Hutchinson Regional Medical Center is an entity of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System. Other entities are Horizons Mental Health Center, Hospice & HomeCare of Reno County, Health-E-Quip, and the Hutchinson Regional Medical Foundation.
