Rising Hope – When parents welcome a new life but must say goodbye at the same time

Mary Peroutka, Founder of Rising Hope

Learning that an unborn baby has a condition that might result in a very early death is devastating. But some mothers and fathers make the decision to continue their pregnancy and parent their infant for as long as he or she lives.

Rising Hope Perinatal Hospice Program grew out of Howard County General Hospital’s Perinatal Bereavement program to offer physical, emotional and spiritual support as well as a range of other important services to parents who have made this decision.  Mary Peroutka, founder of Rising Hope, said the program emphasizes the quality of life and tries to help parents find comfort and meaning in whatever time they may have with their baby.

Compassionate listening is the most important goal of the program – to help parents understand that they are not alone and will not be abandoned during this difficult time. Rising hope uses a multi-disciplinary team approach that includes obstetricians, perinatologists, labor and delivery nurses, neonatologists, NICU staff, chaplains and pastors, social workers, genetic counselors, therapists and traditional hospice professionals. Services include assistance in creating a plan of care and birth plan, resources for spiritual and religious support, creating memories using photographs and mementos, arranging home hospice care, and support groups for parents after their babies have passed away.

Read more in Johns Hopkins Nursing. For more information about Rising Hope Perinatal Hospice Program contact Mary Peroutka at (410) 884-4709 or mperoutka@hcgh.org.

We are proud to announce that Howard County General Hospital: A Member of Johns Hopkins Medicine (HCGH) has received top recognitions from HealthGrades, a national leading independent healthcare ratings organization, most notably ranking in the top five percent in the nation for Pulmonary and Critical Care and as one of the top five hospitals in Maryland for gastrointestinal surgery and overall critical care.

Additionally, HCGH received Excellence Awards for pulmonary care and critical care; and five-star ratings in cardiac care, pulmonary care, gastrointestinal care and critical care. These recognitions are based on HealthGrades’ 13th annual Hospital Quality in America study which analyzes patient outcomes at virtually all of the nation’s hospitals.

“The excellent care for which we are being recognized is the direct result of the skill, expertise and commitment of the entire hospital team, who works tirelessly to provide quality care to our patients and to implement patient safety initiatives,” said Victor A. Broccolino, president and CEO of HCGH. 

“The physicians of HCGH are proud to work hand-in-hand with the hospital staff and leadership to achieve excellence in patient care,” said Jonathan S. Fish, M.D., president of the HCGH Professional Staff. “This national recognition is a wonderful tribute to the quality partnerships we have created to provide the best care possible to our community.” 

Jennifer Dabuet, RN, stands proudly by HCGH's 2010 HealthGrades trophy.

HCGH has a long history of excellence. Earlier this year, the hospital received the HealthGrades 2010 Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence™ for the third consecutive year.  The award, bestowed upon the top five percent of hospitals in the nation, recognizes superior clinical quality across a range of the most common conditions for hospitalized patients. 

The awards recognize the effectiveness of several quality initiatives the hospital has implemented, including: 

• Critical Care
  • Intensive care physicians in the hospital 24 hours a day.
  • Creation of a critical care floor in the new hospital pavilion that provides a single-floor continuum of care for critically ill patients who move through the units as their level of care needs change during recovery.
• Cardiac Care
  • Participate in Maryland Health Care Commission: Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Program Certification.
• Gastrointestinal Care/Surgery
  • Increased focus on compliance with National Surgical Care Improvement Project recommendations.
• Pulmonary Care
  • Changed distribution strategy for flu and pneumococcal vaccinations. Patient now receive the vaccines earlier in the hospitalization.
  • Emergency Department patients with pneumonia received antibiotics in a timely manner.

Visit our website to read more about our commitment to quality.