Office of Medical Communications

(MAY 21, 2024) Marjorie Meyer, M.D., professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences (OB/GYN) and division chief of maternal fetal medicine, and Ira Bernstein, M.D., professor and chair of OB/GYN, are proud of UVMMC’s ranking on Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Maternity Hospitals.

Reflecting the high-quality care that UVM Medical Center staff provide to patients welcoming a new baby to their family, Newsweek has included the UVM Health Network’s anchor academic medical center and Level 1 Trauma Center that serves the region on its ranking of America’s Best Maternity Hospitals.

“Our expert providers are dedicated to helping patients through pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond,” said Meyer, M.D. “We provide care in a supportive and state-of-the-art environment ensuring individual attention to patients and families, and I am happy to see the team get this recognition for their work.”

The Newsweek list was created through a partnership with the data and business intelligence portal Statista, a global platform used by more than 30,000 universities, media outlets, agencies, and other organizations. It was based on a nationwide online survey of hospital staff and publicly available data from hospital surveys addressing the patient experience, including topics such as cleanliness and communication about medication. 

Data on hospital quality metrics was provided from several sources, including not-for-profit hospital accreditation organizations The Joint Commission, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Health Resources and Services Administration.

“We provide care to our patients during such an important time in their lives, when they need a high level of clinical expertise,” said Michele Bouchard, B.S.N., RN, nurse director of obstetrics and pediatrics. “Our nurses, physicians, and midwives approach this work with professionalism, enthusiasm, and love, and our patients can feel that.”

For each hospital, participants were asked to assess the quality of perinatal care, operative obstetrics, patient education and counseling, accommodation and service, and nurse and midwife staffing.

UVM Medical Center has the only 24/7 Certified Nurse-Midwifery practice in the region, and the second-oldest Midwifery program in the country. Midwives provide individualized care for low-risk pregnancies, and work alongside physician colleagues to care for patients with high-risk pregnancies. Midwives care for their own caseload of patients, while also teaching resident physicians and midwifery, medical, and nursing students.

“I am proud to see our team recognized for the outstanding service we provide to our community,” said Marti Churchill, M.S.N., CNM, clinical coordinator for midwifery services at UVM Medical Center. “As a team, we support individualized care which is trauma responsive and holistic in its approach. Midwifery philosophy has played a role in informing the overall approach to care provided to birthing people at UVM Medical Center for the past 55 years. Midwifery honors the physiologic birth process while offering judicious use of medical interventions, always striving for equitable care for all.”

The Obstetrics, Midwifery, Gynecology, and Reproductive Health department at UVM Medical Center also serves as the department for the UVM Health Network.

“This team is deeply committed to the patients and families we serve, and it has been my honor to work with them,” said Bernstein, who has chaired the department since 2012 and is stepping down at the end of May to renew concentration on his research. Jeffrey Peipert, M.D., Ph.D., who comes to Vermont from Indiana University Health with a track record of commitment to inclusive excellence, health care justice, and women’s reproductive rights, will become chair in June.