Page 11 - 2017 Community Benefit Report | Summa Health

Moreover, the Summa Health Equity Center,
Summa Health Women’s Research Center
and Project Ujima are working to combat
the problem of infant mortality in the City of
Akron through co-led weekly wellness and
race dialogue circles for expectant and new
parents. The groups build on the success of
Summa’s Centering® Pregnancy program by
o ering peer support, specialized prenatal care,
parenting and financial classes, and access to
a variety of community resources to targeted
area ZIP codes. Our team works closely to
assist this growing number of mothers and
babies with complex and underserved needs
better acclimate to the healthcare system.
“In addition to intensifying obstetric services,
these types of programs provide essential
wrap-around social support,” says G. Dante
Roulette, M.D., Obstetrics/Gynecology, “to help
give high-risk children the best start possible.”
While these programs have made great strides
in combatting the issue of infant mortality in our
region, it’s only the beginning. Summa Health
is pursuing other avenues, such as establishing
infant mortality review committees and using
progesterone, a hormone medication to help
at-risk women reduce the likelihood of going
into preterm labor.
G. Dante Roulette, M.D.
We also are continuing parent – and even
grandparent – education on safe sleep
practices and the benefits of breastfeeding for
expectant mothers. Designated a Baby-Friendly®
hospital, Summa abides by the Ten Steps to
Successful Breastfeeding initiative, which
provides breastfeeding mothers the information,
confidence and skills needed to successfully
initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies.
While Ohio’s overall infant mortality rate
increased from 7.2 deaths per 1,000 live births
in 2015 to 7.4 in 2016, Summa supports Ohio’s
goal to reach the national objective of a 6.0
infant mortality rate or lower in every race and
ethnicity group. We’re confident that as we
continue to increase awareness about these
and other programs available to expectant
mothers in our area, we will achieve it.
Community Benefit Report – 2017 11