Temple Health’s Commitment to Improving Pregnancy Outcomes in Philadelphia

At Temple Health, we’re committed to improving Philadelphia’s maternal outcomes—which couldn’t be more important, as our city’s maternal mortality rate is 15% higher than the national average.

This crisis is driven by a lack of resources for new and expecting parents, economic insecurity, and gaps in pre and postnatal care. We’re addressing these challenges head-on by opening the region’s only hospital dedicated to women’s and families’ health right here in North Philadelphia, which will bring resources and access where they’re needed most.

Watch this video to learn how we’re building a future where all families receive the care they deserve:

Some of our programs currently in development for the Women & Families Campus include:

• Maternal Health Advocates: This perinatal Community Health Worker (pCHW) program will pair vulnerable pregnant patients with a trained maternal health advocate from their first appointment until one year postpartum. The pCHW will provide healthcare navigation, proactively address missed appointments, and offer connections to social determinants of health programming or nonmedical factors that influence health outcomes, all while cultivating trust and empowerment.
• Innovative Technology: Our Maternal Health Equity Dashboard will track maternal health rates, trends, and key factors driving inequities across different groups. This data-driven resource will guide medical record-based and risk-reducing interventions.
• Community Connection with Doula Care: Our Doula program will offer patients additional support, including prenatal education, labor and delivery, postpartum wellness, breastfeeding, and emotional support. Training and career pathways for doula positions will also be available to members of the community.
• Patient-First Spaces and Communications: Our practitioners and team members will take trauma-informed approaches that integrate cultural sensitivity into care practices, while our spaces will be designed to cultivate trust and enhance the patient experience. With research-informed features like adjustable lighting, soothing colors, and movable furniture, everything from the clinical interactions to the hospital itself will support safety and trust, which will ultimately improve health outcomes.