You Didn't Mention Us
We were very disappointed to notice that Adrienne Martini's June 6 article titled, "The options for giving birth in Knoxville are numerous," failed to mention one of East Tennessee's premier birthing facilities.
Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center opened a 33,000 square-foot maternity services area last August. On average, Fort Sanders Regional welcomes 200 new lives into the world each month. Since January close to 1,100 babies have made their grand entrance at Fort Sanders Regional.
In Ms. Martini's article, she noted another facility's 40 to 50 monthly births as being impressive. While this is certainly an admirable number, our volumes clearly exceed these.
We offer more birthing services than any other facility in the area. Our services include 12 labor-delivery-recovery rooms; three surgical suites for C-sections and other procedures; 13 ante-partum rooms should an expectant mother need extensive hospitalization prior to birth; and 34 post-partum/gynecologic suites.
All birthing rooms are home-like, tastefully decorated, and feature a panoramic view of gardens, mountains or the downtown area. While moms are our priority, we don't forget anxious dads and siblings. A comfortable father's waiting lounge is complete with television, couches, phones and snacks.
Babies are pampered in one of three nurseries—well baby, observation and isolation. Our staff of nursing specialists attend to baby's every need. Should there be a high-risk mom, we provide the Fort Sanders Perinatal Center, which is located on-site. Mom and baby are carefully monitored by our perinatologists who use the latest equipment including 3-D Ultrasound and the region's first pulse oxymetry monitor. We are also just a tunnel away from Children's Hospital, should specialized infant care be needed.
And, the services don't stop at baby's birth. Breastfeeding classes, Mommy Track, infant massage, CPR, support groups and classes for grandparents and siblings are all a part of our full service menu. With all of these services, you can certainly see why we are the first name for maternity care in East Tennessee.
While your writer stated in the opening of her article that her words were "opinion," we feel that listing a few select facilities did your readers a disservice.
We invite Ms. Martini and your readers to visit our website at www.fsregional.com to learn more, or we encourage you to take a tour of our facility. If you would like a tour, please call 541-4947.
Bernie Hurst
Maternity Services Manager
Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center
And Don't Forget Us
Very entertaining article on the birthing experience! You certainly highlighted some "nuances" I, as a nurse—you as a patient, had not given thought.
It is without a doubt that Knoxville is often behind the times on the new trend scene; however I am proud to say the folks here at Parkwest feel we are pre-eminent in offering several modalities that enhance the "in hospital" experience such as: Nurses who have been to Doula classes, Jacuzzi tubs, massage therapy (with a certified therapist) as part of our childbirth preparation classes (we have classes that will incorporate instruction by a therapist certified in pregnancy massage starting this fall) and a brand new mother-baby unit soon to be under construction!
Yes, Parkwest!
I can only hope that Knoxville will continue to grow at a more rapid pace with the changing times/trends. We are certainly challenged by the ever-changing healthcare community and perpetually encourage our staff at PW to grow individually, as well as team, as providers of healthcare in the Knoxville area.
Donna Cubberley
Knoxville
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