St. John’s in Far Rockaway opens new maternity unit

St. John’s Episcopal Hospital has officially opened its new Labor, Delivery, Recovery and Postpartum unit, marking a milestone in maternal care for families in the Rockaways and the Five Towns.

A celebratory ribbon-cutting took place at the Far Rockaway hospital in advance of the unit’s official opening next week.

The hospital’s goal is to to improve patient experiences and safety while creating a welcoming, high-quality environment for expectant mothers.

“Maternity is finally here,” said Donald T. Morrish, CEO of Episcopal Health Services. “All the blood, sweat and tears that went on during the 12 years of getting labor and delivery finally has come to fruition. … Episcopal Health Services is on a tremendous trajectory to provide high-quality care that is patient centered.”

The new unit features six 400-square-foot rooms designed for labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum care, all equipped with private showers, allowing most patients to remain in a single room throughout their birth experience. The unit also includes two operating rooms for cesarean deliveries, two recovery rooms and four triage spaces, and the focus is on patient comfort and supporting high-risk pregnancies with specialized services for mothers and newborns.

Dr. Jacqueline Marecheau, chair of obstetrics and gynecology, said the project has personal meaning for her.

“This space is a sanctuary,” she said. “This space is a love letter to the community, and it is very deep and personal to me. I, too, had preeclampsia and postpartum depression — so for me, I empathize with all the woman in this community, and I think that this community and the surrounding community deserves a beautiful space.”

The hospital has been raising money through its ICARE Foundation, hosting gala events and fundraisers. It also received grants from every level of government, including a $500,000 state grant facilitated by Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato.

“Investing in women and our health is what this labor delivery unit is going to do for us in this community,” Amato said. “I was born in St. John’s.”

Turning to Morrish, Amato added, “Don, you talked about an antiquated hospital I’m sure it was the same [in] 1966: That investment was never made. [Now,] this is all of us electeds listening to the community — we have listened to you loud and clear, and this hospital has done that.”

To build awareness of maternal care, the hospital has hosted giveaways offering diapers and baby supplies, wellness sign-ups and a Women’s Health Fair in May that included workshops and conversations with mothers-to-be.

In addition to the new space, the hospital launched a doula program and a centering model for maternal health education, initiatives aimed at reducing infant mortality, pre-term births and low birth weights.

Erica Young, an expecting mother from Far Rockaway, said she was eager to deliver her baby at the new facility.

“I think this new unit is important because they have technology here that they don’t have at other places,” Young said. “Everything is new and clean and professional. You want to be somewhere were you have the right support, the right doctor, the right nurses. It is super important.”