ThedaCare: Announces opening of new obstetrical emergency department and hospitalist program

NEENAH, Wis. – ThedaCare is pleased to announce the opening of the new Obstetrical Emergency Department (OB-ED) and Hospitalist Program at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah. The new program is part of the update to the Theda Clark Peters Family Birth Center through the $100M investment to modernize the Neenah campus. 

The addition of these hospital-based women’s services can help ThedaCare continue providing comprehensive, safe care for expectant mothers and babies in Northeast and Central Wisconsin.  

“We’re proud to offer this specialized care for our communities,” said Lynn Detterman, Senior Vice President of the ThedaCare South Region. “The creation of the OB-ED and Hospitalist Program can help ensure mothers and babies have the most up-to-date technology, and facilities designed with patients in mind to allow care teams to continue to offer the right care, in the right place.” 

ThedaCare is working with provider partners to develop best practices in care for expectant mothers, which can help improve patient outcomes and experience, and continue advancing maternal care in the area. 

Typically located in a labor and delivery unit, providers in the OB-ED can care for pregnant women who come to the hospital for obstetrical concerns such as abdominal pain or bleeding. The program would operate around the clock, and be staffed by board-certified/board-eligible physician specialists.  

“Through this program, a trained physician will evaluate every patient, and our goal is that expectant mothers can leave the hospital with peace of mind, focusing on the health and well-being of their family,” said Dr. Eric Eberts, Department Chair of the ThedaCare OB-ED and Hospitalist Program. “Having an OB-ED and Hospitalist Program can redefine the standard of women’s care in the hospital setting to help continue safe patient care.” 

Women who are more than 16 weeks pregnant, with concerns related to their pregnancy, will now bypass the emergency department and go directly to an obstetrical triage area located in the Theda Clark Peters Family Birth Center at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah. This program will supplement the care of a woman’s OB provider. Her doctor will continue to provide care in the facility. The program ensures a highly specialized doctor to be available to evaluate a woman immediately, without waiting for the patient’s doctor to arrive on site, or providing a consultation over-the-phone.    

The OB-ED program at the Neenah campus aims to provide support for ThedaCare’s other hospitals, including those in rural communities. For example, providers can deliver telehealth consultations alongside providers at other campuses.

To learn more about Family Birth services at ThedaCare, please visit ThedaCare.org/services/womens-health/

About ThedaCare

For nearly 115 years, ThedaCare® has been improving the health and well-being of the communities it serves in Northeast and Central Wisconsin. The organization delivers care to more than 650,000 residents in 17 counties, and employs approximately 7,000 providers and team members at 180 points of care, including eight hospitals. As an organization committed to being a leader in Population Health, team members are dedicated to empowering people to live their unique, best lives. ThedaCare is a not-for-profit health system with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs, as well as primary care. ThedaCare also partners with communities to understand needs, find solutions together, and encourage health awareness and action. In 2024, ThedaCare and Froedtert Health combined to form one system to strengthen local health care and provide high-quality services for treatment and prevention in a coordinated manner. 
For more information, visit thedacare.org or follow ThedaCare on social media. Members of the media should call Cassandra Wallace, Public and Media Relations Consultant at 920.442.0328 or the ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah switchboard at 920.729.3100 and ask for the marketing person on call.