Temple University’s new hospital focuses on reducing maternal mortality

Temple Women and Families Hospital will soon open for inpatient services after years of delays and a year of offering only outpatient care.

The hospital aims to start inpatient services in January 2025, pending state regulatory approvals. These approvals depend on construction completion and a physical inspection, according to Jeremey Walter, director of media relations at Temple Health.

Temple University Hospital purchased the Northeast Philadelphia site, including buildings and equipment, for $12 million in June 2021. The hospital’s mission is to reduce maternal mortality rates and provide healthcare to women and families of all socioeconomic backgrounds.

“We are going to great lengths to make sure this campus provides our community with the high-quality services and care that they deserve,” Walter wrote, according to The Temple News. He cited an extensive refurbishment project for the delay, including a larger HVAC system and asbestos removal.

Addressing maternal mortality & equitable healthcare

The hospital aims to address maternal mortality, a rising issue over the past 30 years. Philadelphia reported 110 pregnancy-associated deaths from 2013-18, nearly 15% above the national average, according to a March 2022 report.

The CDC reported that Black mothers are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. Latrice Jackson, a senior paralegal at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, highlighted the racial disparities in maternal healthcare.

Temple Women and Families’ website states a commitment to addressing health disparities and providing equitable healthcare. Michael Young, president and CEO of Temple Health, noted that exceptional services are being designed to ensure the highest quality care regardless of social and economic circumstances in a 2021 press release.

The hospital will feature a new NICU, private rooms, labor and delivery beds, postpartum beds, ICU beds, a triage area, an expanded neonatal unit, and more than 75 exam rooms, including radiology and MRI facilities.

Community members are eagerly awaiting the hospital’s opening. Alli Nikles, a 2024 alumna, believes it will positively impact Philadelphia.

“A campus focused on women’s healthcare would create a comforting and welcoming environment,” Nikles said.