Moms delivering their babies at Winter Park Memorial Hospital, a Florida Hospital, can now get their infants’ birth certificates before they leave the hospital. Normally, moms have to wait two weeks to receive the birth certificates. Winter Park Memorial Hospital is the first hospital in the country to have a Vital Statistics office, a division of the Orange County Health Department (OCHD), located right inside the hospital. This added amenity will soon become a trend in hospitals across the country.
“As a new mom I have so much on my mind,” said Jacey Miller, one of the first mothers to receive her baby’s birth certificate at Winter Park Memorial Hospital. “Knowing that I can leave the hospital with my newborn’s birth certificate in hand is one less thing for me to worry about.”
“We are excited to be the first in the nation to provide our mothers and babies in Central Florida this important service within our hospital,” said Ken Bradley, senior vice president and administrator, Winter Park Memorial Hospital. “We are proud to be partnering with the Orange County Health Department, Vital Statistics program, to offer these services right here at the hospital. This will pioneer new territory in improving and enhancing the experiences patients, and especially new moms, have. This is another example of how we are leading and advancing the patient experience by offering outstanding clinical care and amenities to families who choose to have their babies here.”
The partnership not only benefits the patients at Winter Park Memorial Hospital by enhancing their experience, but will also allow Orange County Health Department, Vital Statistics program, to expedite services. The Orange County Health Department, Vital Statistics program, produces the third highest number of birth certificates in the state of Florida. The new office expects to produce more than 3,000 birth certificates during its first year in the hospital. The Orange County Healthy Start Coalition, Inc., will also share the new office allowing the care coordinator to reach more families by initiating early support, counseling, and new parent education. The Healthy Start program works to reduce infant mortality and improve the health and development of all infants.
“This is a great opportunity to partner with Winter Park Memorial Hospital, a Florida Hospital, leading the country in this new service that will likely become a standard for other hospitals,” said Dr. Kevin Sherin, director, Orange County Health Department. “You will soon see other offices popping up in hospitals across the country. This is a winning initiative for everyone.”
“The city of Winter Park is a trailblazer, and we are thrilled to be the first city in the country to partner with a hospital to provide this service to our families,” said Winter Park Mayor David Strong. “When a leader in healthcare like Florida Hospital partners with a forward-thinking government agency like the Orange County Health Department – the citizens and families of our great community benefit. I applaud Florida Hospital and the Orange County Health Department for making this a reality.”
The Dr. P. Phillips Baby Place at Winter Park Memorial Hospital is designed with the entire family in mind. The New Mother Concierge Program is individualized for each new mom and includes mommy and daddy massages; afternoon tea; gourmet celebration dinners; baby portraits; private consultations with lactation consultants; free valet parking for new mothers, fathers and their families; and secure, private rooms.