Pennsylvania Hospital of the Univ of Pennsylvania Health System

Iii. services for women, infants and children ludmir center for women's health the ludmir center for womens health (lcwh) is an ambulatory healthcare facility that specializes in the provision of obstetrical, gynecologic and reproductive health services. lcwh provides quality medical care to all patients, regardless of their ability to pay. most patients have low to moderate incomes. as a community based practice, lcwh offers more than traditional medical services. lcwh employees a full-time social worker who provides psychosocial support services. additionally, lcwh addresses some of the diverse needs of its patients and their partners through the following services and programs: - latina community health services (lchs) an innovative program that offers prenatal and gynecologic services to women who are unable to obtain medical insurance. it is funded by grants and contributions and staffed by physicians, a nurse midwife, medical assistant and patient services coordinator from clinical care associates of the university of pennsylvania health system. lchs also partners with other entities such as pennsylvania hospitals diabetes education center and womens services department as well as the health promotions council, a community organization, to coordinate and offer wrap-around services. these services include individual diabetic teaching, infant feeding classes and healthcare navigation assistance. - childbirth education classes these classes are taught by lcwh registered nurses who have also earned childbirth educator certification. the classes cover such topics as: what to expect from and how to recognize labor, relaxation techniques and medical options for pain relief in labor, the importance of post-partum care, and early infant care/development. - male partners services the male partners of lcwh female patients who tested positive for a sexually transmitted infection are able to receive treatment through this sensitive and confidential service. - healthy woman program (hwp) lcwh is a participating provider in this pennsylvania state-funded program that provides free cervical cancer and breast screenings (including pelvic examinations, clinical breast examinations, and pap smear testing and diagnostic services) to uninsured women between the ages 21-64. - tobacco smoking cessation lcwh is an active participant in the effort to decrease tobacco smoking rates among pregnant women and mothers. each lcwh nurse is certified by the health federation of philadelphia in partnership with the philadelphia department of health to provide counseling on smoking cessation and reduction in exposure to environmental smoke. newborn care the section on newborn medicine, the intensive care nursery, and the associated delivery and term nurseries serve more than 5,000 infant-mother pairs annually. of these, roughly 40 to 60 per year are without any means of support. frequently, there are varying psychosocial reasons that impair the mother's ability to take their babies home. in all of these cases the physician and nursing support and hospital care are given without compensation. these situations, because of their inevitable psychosocial complexity, consume a greater share of resources than do most compensated cases. the amount of care rendered varies, but based upon length of stay; charges can be calculated to approximately $100,000 per year. this figure does not include donated physician time. nurse-midwifery penn ob/gyn and midwifery care, a practice of pennsylvania hospital, includes 12 midwives who work collaboratively with physicians in the department of obstetrics and gynecology to provide care to low-income women with and without medical risk factors. a full spectrum of individualized, family-centered reproductive and gynecologic healthcare is provided based on the philosophy of mutual respect, client participation, and education. services are provided within the hospital as well as in the outpatient office setting. the midwives provid