Texas Department of State Health Services designates St. Luke's Health— The Woodlands Hospital as a Level III Maternal Facility

THE WOODLANDS, TX (April 7, 2021) –  The Family Birthing Center at St. Luke’s Health-The Woodlands Hospital is among 22 facilities in Texas currently designated a Level III (Subspecialty Care) Maternal Facility by the Texas Department of State Health Services. A Level III designation is awarded to facilities that treat patients with complex maternal medical conditions, obstetric complications, and fetal conditions.

“A Level III designation reflects the hospital’s ability to provide appropriate care and treatment for every mother and baby,” Judy Brown, RN, Director of Women Services at St. Luke’s Health—The Woodlands Hospital. “This achievement signals the safe, outstanding care our team delivers on a daily basis to support low risk and complex pregnancies for mothers in our community.”

A Level III designation is the second-highest level of maternal care outlined by the state of Texas. To be designated as a Level III (Subspecialty Care) facility, the hospital must:

• Provide care for pregnant and postpartum patients with low risk conditions to significant complex medical, surgical and/or obstetrical conditions that present a high risk of maternal morbidity or mortality.
• Ensure access to consultation to a full range of medical and maternal subspecialists and surgical specialists, and behavioral health specialists.
• Ensure capability to perform major surgery on-site.
• Have physicians with critical care training available at all times to actively collaborate with Maternal Fetal Medicine physicians and/or obstetrics and gynecology physicians with obstetrics training and privileges in maternal care.
• Have skilled personnel with documented training, competencies and annual continuing education, specific for the population served.
• Facilitate transports and provide outreach education to lower level designated facilities, including the Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI) process.

 

“A Level III designation speaks to the clinical expertise of our team,” said Ferenc Markos, MD, Medical Director of Women’s Services at St. Luke’s Health- The Woodlands Hospital. “We are proud to receive this designation as we continually strive to offer high-quality services to families in The Woodlands community and beyond.”

The maternal levels of care designation rule became effective on March 1, 2018 and the designation for maternal level of care is an eligibility requirement for Medicaid reimbursement beginning September 1, 2021. Levels II through IV must have a hospital survey prior to applying for designation. This state designation is valid for a three-year period. For more information, visit dshs.texas.gov.

About St. Luke’s Health – Texas Division

St. Luke’s Health is a fully-integrated network that provides care to the communities in Greater Houston, Southeast Texas, and the Brazos Valley through 16 acute care hospitals and over 270 access points including numerous urgent care centers, freestanding emergency departments, and clinics conveniently located across the region. With a team of 11,000 employees and caregivers and more than 5,000 physicians, St. Luke’s Health is dedicated to a mission of enhancing community health through high-quality, cost-effective care. A joint venture with Baylor College of Medicine, St. Luke’s Health operates Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in the Texas Medical Center, a leading academic health center with quaternary care and advanced specialists. St. Luke’s Health is part of CommonSpirit Health, a nonprofit, Catholic health system dedicated to advancing health for all people. It was created in February 2019 through the alignment of Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health. Learn more at StLukesHealth.org.