FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. – Thursday, Lieutenant Colonel Marshall Malinowski, Chief of the Women’s Health department at Blanchfield Army Community Hospital held a press conference to describe the big changes coming to his department.

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As part of the millions of dollars of renovations at the BACH, the Women’s Clinic is getting a complete face lift to better serve their patients. As part of these renovations the clinic will make a temporary move to modular buildings until the construction is complete.
 
The current wards that house the OB/GYN clinic have not been renovated since the early 80’s making the facility inefficient and outdated. According to Malinowski, the renovations provided the opportunity to provide care that was patient centric keeping with many civilian models for primary care.
 
“The goal is eventually all primary care clinics will become medical homes,” said Malinowski.
 
The Department Chief asked why the Army facility could not apply that model to OB/GYN.  Malinowski explained that the time you spend in an medical office is time the patient is taking out of their day and the Lt. Col. said the time could be better spent and more efficient with a new model.  
 
“Not only I it going to focus on the patient it’s going to make us more efficient,” said Malinowski.
 
The new design brings the providers together in an open office where communication flows from one specialist to another. Patient care rooms will be redesigned as well into pods to better enable doctors to quickly get to each patient rather than the current set up has the exam rooms are placed straight down the hall. Another change the Lt. Col. explained was that waiting rooms would have an interactive set up to promote interaction between expecting mothers.
 
The department chief said, “For the public what they want to know is, is it going to be better for me?”
 
The idea behind more complete interaction between patients is known as “centering pregnancy.”  Malinowski explained is the process is a prenatal group care where each patient is around the same gestational stage.  It provides interaction between first time moms and veteran mothers. Through the interaction of the expecting mothers it provides a strong support system between mothers. Support systems are a clearly recognized system in the Army.
 
“It’s going to become a central focus for prenatal care for us in the future going forward,” said Malinowski.
 
There are three components of centering pregnancy. Chief of Midwifery service Colonel Robin O’Dell explained those components were health risk assessment, patient education, and the support network. According to O’Dell, the program has been active since last June and the requests for a place in the program have been enormous.
 
“Centering pregnancy definitely reinforces empowerment of women to take over their health care and is a great environment,” said O’Dell.
 
At the Women’ Clinic a primary focus is on development of trust through collaborative care. The midwife providers work with the physicians to help guide and educate expecting mothers through what can be a frightening experience.
 
We’re trying to maintain that continuity and keep it,” explained Malinowski.
 
The cost of the renovation project is estimated to be approximately $7.2 million for just the construction. The addition of equipment brings the cost to just above the $8 million mark. The Lt. Col. explained the model can be run without the renovations, but it would be difficult. It is the goal of the staff to provide the most comprehensive, patient centric care possible.
 
“We’re going to be able to put something in place that will be a model for future clinics,” said Malinowski.
 
The plan to create a patient centered model of care for the Women’s Clinic is something new for the OB/GYN world. Malinowski explained that the new clinic is not exactly a Medical Home. However, the Lt. Col. wants the new facility to strive toward the feel of a Medical Home.
 
When you go into a centering group room, it’s not a waiting room,” said Col. O’Dell.
 
The Colonel explained the new design promotes connections and support between patients. O’Dell said the groups are approximately 12 to 14 women who go through the whole process together supporting on another during their pregnancies.
 
The Women’s services will experience a temporary limit on clinical services provided while transitioning into the temporary facility from February 16 – 21. The clinic will reopen on February 22 and be capable of handling the full range of OB/GYN services that are currently offered through the Women’s clinic. Renovations for the new facility inside main building at BACH are anticipated to be complete and open by November.




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