USA Health names Deborah Browning new CEO for Children’s and Women’s Hospital
After a national search, Deborah Browning, MSN, RN, CENP has been named the new chief executive officer for USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital. She previously served as chief nursing officer beginning in 2021 and then interim administrator. “We have been so impressed with what Debbie has accomplished in the relatively short amount of time she has been in leadership positions at Children’s & Women’s Hospital,” said Owen Bailey, M.S.H.A., FACHE, USA Health CEO and senior associate vice president for medical affairs. “It was clear she is who we need leading our efforts to continuously provide high-quality and compassionate healthcare to the children and women on the Gulf Coast.” Prior to joining Children’s & Women’s Hospital, Browning served as chief nursing officer at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City. She has been responsible for women’s and/or children’s service lines at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina. “With her extensive experience working within academic health systems, Debbie understands that evidence-based practices produce the best patient outcomes,” said John V. Marymont, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for medical affairs and dean of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine at the University of South Alabama. Since stepping in as interim administrator, she has overseen renovation and expansion efforts of the only pediatric emergency center on the Alabama Gulf Coast, among other initiatives. Plans call for the state-of-the-art space to open this winter. “I believe this is a time of unprecedented growth for our hospital,” Browning said, “and I look forward to leading the teams responsible for best meeting the healthcare needs of our community.” With a focus on family-centered care, Browning said her vision for the region’s only children’s and women’s hospital is to “create a space where our families have the best experience possible, and our staff feel valued and fulfilled in their roles.” Shannon Scaturro, M.S.H.A., M.S.N., CRNA, FACHE, chief operating officer for USA Health and assistant vice president for medical affairs, said he is looking forward to what the future holds for Children’s & Women’s Hospital with Browning at the helm. “It’s been exciting to see the work she’s done daily to enhance our quality and safety measures, something that is paramount in healthcare settings.” Among her accomplishments, Browning completed the American Organization of Nurse Executives Nursing Director Fellowship and serves on several AONL committees at the national level. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky, and a master’s degree in nursing administration from the University of Phoenix. USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital, Alabama’s only free-standing inpatient facility dedicated to providing care to children and women, provides the most comprehensive services for children and women in the region. Home to the region’s only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and high-risk obstetrics program, Children’s & Women’s also has the region’s only pediatric emergency department staffed 24 hours a day, every day, by specially trained physicians in pediatric emergency medicine.
USA Health announces new mother/baby postpartum unit
USA Health recently announced that they will soon open a new Mother/Baby Unit designed to promote comfort and bonding for families and their newborns. The 20-suite postpartum unit is located on the fifth floor of the women’s tower at Children’s & Women’s Hospital, the area’s leader in births. Deborah Browning. M.S.N., R.N., C.E.N.P, is the interim administrator for the hospital. “This beautiful new unit is another example of how Children’s & Women’s Hospital focuses on providing high-quality care that is patient-centered,” said Administrator Browning. The new unit is designed to facilitate what the industry calls – ‘couplet care.’ That is defined as a family-centered approach in which mother and baby are cared for in the same room by the same nurse from the time a baby is born until both are ready to go home. The latest research has shown that couplet care creates a stronger bond between parents and their newborns, builds a baby’s immunity, and increases success rates for breastfeeding. Vicki Curtis, M.S.N., R.N., the director of women’s services at USA Health, stated, “We want to provide care for both mom and baby at the bedside. The unit will have the amenities in the rooms that allow the babies to stay comfortable with mom.” Economic developer Dr. Nicole Jones told Alabama Today, “The new health unit is functional and aesthetically pleasing and aims to enhance bonding between mother and child. It is a wonderful example of the quality of care offered for patients in south Alabama.” The new facility was unveiled to the public Wednesday, February 15, during a community open house. The new unit is designed with soft lighting and soothing colors of deep grays, golds, and blues, while stylish birds-in-flight wallpaper adorns the foyer ceiling, and beach images are incorporated into the signage and wall art. Each of the 20 suites features a spacious bedroom, a recliner, a couch, and private bath with luxury amenities such as bidets. Each suite also incorporates a baby bath and scale and a height-adjustable bassinet for the newborn so that assessments and other procedures can be completed at the bedside. A new lactation space will be located within the unit, staffed by an expanded team of lactation consultants. Two private rooms for breast pumping will be available for patients, visitors, and staff to use. Tenesha Edwards, R.N., is the nurse manager of the new unit. “We want our approach to be family-centered,” said Edwards. “This is a life-changing experience for families, and we only have them for a few days, so we want to make sure that their experience during those few days is great.” Healthcare has become an increasingly important issue for the state as the population grows, and the number of doctors in the state has failed to keep up with the pace. There are fewer hospitals, and fewer of those hospitals deliver babies. Improving infant mortality and the survival rate of mothers in the year after having their child is a major concern to healthcare leaders and public officials alike. The unit is expected to begin accepting patients next month. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
