Woodlawn Health Secures 100% Survey Readiness with Quality OB

Executive Summary

Faced with a 22% surge in birth volume and a shifting regional healthcare landscape, Woodlawn Health needed an effective solution to standardize obstetrics training and ensure regulatory compliance.

By implementing HealthStream’s Quality OB program, they achieved 100% survey‑ready clinical competency for their nurses. The program’s automated tracking, reporting, and comprehensive curriculum allowed them to pass high‑stakes audits—such as the state Department of Health Perinatal Level of Care Survey—with ease, further solidifying their status as the preferred birthing facility for their growing community.

About the Customer

As a 25‑bed critical access hospital serving Fulton County and surrounding areas, Woodlawn Health has been a cornerstone of care for over a century.

While rural and critical access hospitals are often faced with limited resources, Woodlawn has maintained a thriving maternity service staffed by family medicine physicians. Their ability to gain positive feedback from receiving and transfer facilities based on their high‑quality stabilization efforts is a testament to the critical role rural hospitals play in providing comprehensive care under challenging circumstances.

In a region where many birthing facilities have closed their doors, Woodlawn has become the premier delivering hospital for Fulton County and beyond, earning the reputation of a “Maternity Oasis” in a growing maternity care desert.

Challenges

Success often brings new challenges. Woodlawn Health found itself in a unique position as adjacent birthing centers closed, leaving them as the closest obstetrics provider within a 30‑mile radius. This consolidation of care resulted in a year‑over‑year increase in births of more than 22%.

With patient volume rising and the stakes for safety higher than ever, Woodlawn faced significant pressure to maintain rigorous standards. Regulatory bodies—specifically those conducting Perinatal Level of Care certification surveys—require precise documentation of clinical competency.

Prior to finding a digital solution, the team struggled with the administrative burden of manual paper tracking. They needed a way to standardize education for their growing team, ensure every nurse received identical high‑quality training, and produce defensible education records for auditors without drowning in paperwork.

Solution

To address these challenges, Woodlawn Health turned to HealthStream. In 2020, they implemented the Quality OB program for their nursing staff. Recognizing the value of the platform, they recently renewed their commitment, upgrading to the Quality OB Complete program for a new three‑year term in 2025.

Quality OB provided the standardization Woodlawn needed. April Rantz, OB Nurse Director, utilized the program to ensure all staff members were trained on the same evidence‑based protocols. She further customized the learning experience by loading her unit meeting slides directly into the system, creating a centralized hub for all departmental knowledge.

Beyond standard modules, the team leveraged the “learning events” feature to document simulations and drills. This allowed them to capture real‑world application of skills directly within the learner’s transcript, creating a comprehensive view of clinical readiness.

Results

The impact of implementing Quality OB was immediate and measurable, particularly during regulatory surveys.

When auditors arrived for the Perinatal Level of Care certification survey, the typically daunting process became straightforward. Lisa Fields, who ran the education department, noted that the auditors were “very impressed” with the clarity of the records.

“We’re good, move on,” surveyors often remarked after reviewing just a few names, eventually waiving further audits entirely due to the impeccable quality of the Quality OB transcripts.

The positive feedback from receiving and transfer facilities per Woodlawn’s high‑quality stabilization efforts is a testament to the critical role rural hospitals play in providing comprehensive care under challenging circumstances.

Key outcomes included:

• 100% Survey‑Readiness: Achieved full clinical competency documentation for OB nurses, making the survey process “uneventful.”
• Defensible Education Standards: Established an effective education standard for the next 3–5 years.
• Improved Quality of Care: Continuously receive positive feedback from receiving facilities regarding how well‑stabilized patients are when transferred to higher‑level care.

The Quality OB program helped transform what was once a manual administrative struggle into a streamlined, automated practice. By removing the friction of labor‑intensive compliance tracking, Woodlawn’s leadership was able to refocus on what mattered most—delivering safe, quality care for the mothers and babies of Fulton County and beyond.

Conclusion

Woodlawn Health’s commitment to implementing the latest evidence‑based education and standardized training ensures their clinical team is equipped to handle the most complex obstetric emergencies, providing unmatched assurance and safety to their patients.

Their journey from a manual, paper‑based system to a streamlined, digital‑first approach demonstrates the power of the right partnership. While they originally purchased Quality OB for compliance, they renewed it because it became a proven shield during high‑stakes audits.

As they look to the future, Woodlawn is well positioned to handle continued growth. With administrative burdens reduced and a standardized training curriculum in place, they can continue to serve as a trusted OB Oasis for their community.

Featured Quote

“Quality OB has been a game changer for us. It turned what used to be a stressful, manual process into something seamless and organized. The auditors were impressed, and we’ve never felt more confident during surveys.”
— April Rantz, OB Nurse Director

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