Missoula’s New Program Supports Mothers After Delivery

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - Missoula’s Community Medical Center has introduced a new program entitled ‘Special Delivery’, which aims to improve care for a new mother in addition to reducing maternal mortality.

I spoke with Holly Nagel, Chief Nursing Officer at Community Medical Center, about the new ‘Special Delivery’ wristband.

Community Medical Center Launches New 'Special Delivery' Program

“This special delivery program is really aimed at that period of time after delivery, up to about six weeks postpartum,” began Nagel. “It's a time where we know that patients can have complications, whether physical or even mental, but because they're not visibly pregnant anymore, it's kind of seen as not as an important timeframe, but it's very important.”

Nagel said the wristband is a visible way to encourage new mothers and their families.

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'Special Delivery' Wristbands Identify Post Partum Mothers

“We wanted to find a way to communicate not only with patients and their families and individuals, they may interact with them in the community, as well as other healthcare providers, our EMS partners, emergency rooms, that sort of thing,” she said. “So if they interact with the medical community anywhere that there's recognition that they're there in that postpartum period and there's still special things that need to be paid attention to, related potentially to their pregnancy.”

Wristbands are a Colorful Way to Identify with an Issue

Nagel said colorful wristbands have been used for many special projects over the years.

“The wristband is just a kind of rubber band bracelet, like you see, for all sorts of different initiatives, and people wear them for a lot of different things,” she said. “And so it's kind of a discrete way to call attention to the fact that this patient has had a baby in the last six months or so.”

Spokesperson says the 'Special Delivery' Wristbands Stand Out

Nagel said the wristband can speak for many kinds of individuals.

“We chose ‘special delivery’ as terminology versus ‘I'm a new mom’ or something like that, so that we could be sensitive to maybe somebody who actually had a pregnancy loss, or somebody who doesn't identify even as female,” she said. “So how do we still call attention to this population that needs special consideration when interacting both with the physical health care community as well as the mental health care community to ensure they get the care they need?”

For more information about the Special Delivery Program, visit the Community Medical Center website.