Tower Health has launched its Post-Birth Alert Bracelet program at Reading Hospital and Phoenixville Hospital. The new safety measure is designed to enhance care and support new mothers beyond their hospital stay. Both hospitals are among the first in Pennsylvania to roll out the program.
Funded by the Reading Hospital Foundation, the program launched on May 11 and will provide mothers with a bright orange bracelet to wear for six weeks following delivery. The bracelets, which are water resistant and read "Post-Birth Alert," signal to healthcare providers and first responders that the patient recently gave birth and may require OB/GYN-specific evaluation.
"Six weeks after delivery is a medically sensitive window," said Heather Enright, MSN, RNC-MNN, ICCE, maternal child health safety and quality nurse coordinator at Reading Hospital. "By clearly identifying mothers as recently postpartum, we can help emergency departments, urgent care centers, and other providers quickly factor in childbirth-related risks into their assessments."
During the six weeks after delivery, the body is still healing. Health concerns can happen days or weeks after having a baby, even if the pregnancy and delivery were healthy. Rapid context is essential for appropriate maternity care. Warning signs for conditions like postpartum hemorrhage, hypertension, blood clots, cardiac complications, and infection can be small at first. However, they can become serious if not evaluated.
"The bracelet ensures that wherever a patient presents for care, that recent history is immediately visible and informs clinical decision-making," Enright said.
The program also includes patient education prior to discharge, with guidance on early warning signs and when to seek care.