The city of Tampa just got an official boost in its resident population with a record number of newborn deliveries at Tampa General Hospital (TGH) during the past fiscal year, from October 2021 through September 2022.
More than 7,000 babies came into the world at the TGH Women’s Institute, the most deliveries at the hospital in more than 20 years. In addition to these routine deliveries, the hospital and specialists with the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine also delivered more high-risk patients than any other hospital in the region.
“This is a milestone number, but it’s more than just a statistic on deliveries at Tampa General Hospital,” said Dr. Judette Louis, MD, Chief of the Women’s Institute at Tampa General Hospital and James M. Ingram, Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. “More patients are deciding to deliver their babies at TGH. This means that our programs to provide safe, innovative and world-class care will impact more patients, resulting in better outcomes for mothers and their newborns.”
The record number of babies – roughly 1,000 more than the previous fiscal year – underscores the work of the Women’s Institute, which provides a full range of women’s health services, from routine obstetrics and gynecology to more complex maternal-fetal medicine and neonatal care.
As the only academic medical center in West Central Florida and a nationally recognized leader in high-risk obstetrics, TGH and USF Health offer access to the highest level of women’s and infant care in virtually every medical subspecialty, including specialty services in mental health, genetic counseling and pediatrics. The entire team at the Women’s Institute also goes the extra mile in making mothers feel welcome and comfortable during their stay at Tampa General Hospital.
The new record also speaks to the broader recognition TGH and USF Health have received in related areas of specialization. Recent accolades include:
- Named among the top 50 in the nation and the highest-ranked hospital in Florida for Obstetrics & Gynecology by U.S. News & World Report for 2022-23, a specialty led by USF faculty.
- Named on Newsweek’s list of Best Maternity Hospitals 2022.
- The only hospital in Hillsborough County to receive international recognition as a Baby-Friendly® designated birth facility.
- Acknowledgment by the state’s surgeon general and Department of Health for exceeding national goals for reducing the number of unnecessary cesarean deliveries for first-time mothers with low-risk pregnancies. TGH is one of just 26 delivery hospitals in Florida to achieve the distinction in 2022.
The consistency of excellence, along with the growing number of deliveries, highlights the vital role TGH plays in the community, said Melissa Golombek, RN, DNP, MHCM, NE-BC, CPN and senior administrator at the TGH Women’s Institute.
“The milestone of 7,000 deliveries in a single year is a major accomplishment for the Women’s Institute,” Golombek said. “Each of these birth stories is a testament to the successful collaboration between our physicians and team members who partner with families and provide the utmost care and attention. As we continue to achieve new milestones, we commit to focusing on excellent care by enhancing each patient’s labor, delivery and postpartum experience. Each and every birth is incredibly special and rewarding for our team.”
Tampa General Hospital, a 1,040-bed, not-for-profit, academic medical center, is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the region’s only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care.
