University Hospitals move Lake West birthing center to TriPoint

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio (WOIO) - University Hospitals announced labor and delivery services at Lake West will be moving to TriPoint Medical Center on April 15.

UH said the consolidation of the birthing centers will create a regional hub to provide the best outcomes and experiences for mothers and newborns.

The medical centers are 15 miles apart, which is a 20 minute car ride away.

Deliveries will be the only service that will no longer be offered at Lake West after April 14.

Lake West will continue to offer comprehensive women and children services, including:

OB/GYN physician and midwife care
gynecological surgeries
breastfeeding and lactation services

Current and expectant mothers who planned to deliver at Lake West were contacted by UH overview of their options, and do not need to change their current providers.

UH said it is investing $25.5 million to enhance Lake West and TriPoint medical centers this year to make good on its promise to expand and enhance services with Lake Health joined the UH health care system in April 2021.

“These important modernizations and upgrades are a result of the UH acquisition, and build upon UH’s agreement to bring investments that will benefit the community, including enhancements to facilities, equipment and services,” said Robyn Strosaker, MD, FAAP, President and Chief Operating Officer of UH Lake Health Medical Centers. “We also look forward to providing leading-edge technology, innovative practices, strong clinical research and other initiatives that will help us continue to complement and grow our hospitals.”

TriPoint’s $1.8 million complete birthing center renovation with the addition of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit will include:

renovation of all 14 current labor and delivery suites
renovation of both current C-section suites
four new Level 2 NICU suites
potential for future expansion

The Level 2 NICUs provide advanced care for babies born prematurely who are recovering from more serious health problems, according to UH.

When the renovation is complete later this year, TriPoint will start upgrading to a Level 2 Maternal and Neonatal Care Center.

This builds upon the current Level 1 care of low to moderate risk pregnancies with the addition of specialty care of moderate to high risk antepartum, intrapartum or postpartum conditions, UH described.

University Hospitals TriPoint Medical Center(University Hospitals)

The other $23.7 million is being spent on Lake West’s first major renovation since 2005, according to UH.

UH this modernization project, which will be completed in the next few years, includes:

completely new hybrid cardiac and vascular lab for UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute
high-complexity endoscopy/bronchoscopy suite for UH Digestive Health Institute
Renovation of the surgery waiting room and expansion of surgery areas such as pre-op and recovery, with two new elevators for surgical patient transfer
Relocation of hospital administration for easier access by visitors

Lake West was recently designated as a provisional Level 3 Trauma Center as UH’s mission to provide high acuity care.

This makes it the only trauma center between Lake County and the Pennsylvania border.

UH said an additional phase of the Lake West renovations is a $24.7 million refresh of patient rooms in the Intensive Care Unit and on the medical and surgical floors.

The expansion of the surgery department’s Post-Anesthesia Care Unit is also included in this phase.

University Hospitals Lake West Medical Center(University Hospitals)

The Ahuja Medical Center is also getting an upgrade with a new, state-of-the-art labor and delivery and neonatal intensive care unit that will open in the summer of 2023.