GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — While birth rates in Mesa County have declined by 30% since 2016, Community Hospital is experiencing a different trend. The hospital welcomed over 600 newborns in 2024, marking its highest birth count since opening The Birth Place in 2016. This surge represents a 25% increase, defying the countywide decline.
Ami Hanson, interim director of The Birth Place, attributes this growth to strong relationships with patients and a commitment to personalized care. “I think it’s the personalized care we give to our patients. I think a lot of our patient population wants a very natural birth with minimal interventions while still being in a safe environment with great clinical staff,” she explained.
Patient-Centered Care Fuels Growth
Hanson emphasized that The Birth Place prioritizes patient preferences, fostering an environment where families feel supported and heard. “We have that conversation with the patient when they come in and really try to set those expectations for the patient. If they are choosing not to go with pain medication, then we say in the beginning, ‘We understand your choice, it is available to you if you change your mind,’ but we won’t mention it again,” Hanson said.
This approach, she believes, builds trust and encourages more families to choose The Birth Place for their deliveries. Many parents return for subsequent births, reinforcing the hospital’s reputation for patient-focused maternity care.
Diverse Birthing Options Attract More Families
The Birth Place offers a variety of birthing options, catering to different preferences and needs. Some of the choices available include:
- Hydrotherapy and water births for a more natural experience
- Nitrous oxide for pain relief without an epidural
- Alternative pain management techniques such as guided breathing and massage
- Traditional medical interventions, available upon request
“Every birth is once in a lifetime. You don’t get to go back and redo it, so we try very hard to make sure that birth goes exactly how the family intended,” Hanson noted.
Amenities Encourage Comfort and Repeat Patients
Beyond medical care, The Birth Place enhances the birthing experience with thoughtful amenities. The facility offers aroma therapy, jetted tubs, and specialized lactation programs to support new mothers. These features, Hanson said, contribute to the hospital’s high patient satisfaction and growing birth numbers.
One-sentence paragraph? Here’s one. These extra touches, she believes, keep families coming back.
