Labor Of Love: Elevating The Birthing Experience At St. John’s Episcopal

The Right Rev. Lawrence C. Provenzano, pres. and chairman of the EHS Board of Trustees congratulates Dr. Donald T. Morrish, CEO of EHS, along with the leadership staff and team on the completion of the Labor and Delivery Suite

Dr. Donald T. Morrish, CEO at EHS expresses his gratitude to everyone who supported the Labor and Delivery Suite.

Dr. Jacqueline Marecheau, Chair of OB-GYN at EHS shares how deeply personal the new Labor and Delivery Suite is to her and emphasized how much the community deserves this beautiful space

Dr. Donald T. Morrish (9th from left); the Right Rev. Lawrence C. Provenzano (10th from left); Jacqueline Marecheau (6th from right), cut the ribbon alongside Queens Borough President Donovan Richards (8th from left), U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (center), NYS Assembly Member Stacey Pheffer Amato (10th from right), Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz (8th from right), and NYS Assembly Member Khaleel Anderson (4th from right).

Oppressive heat and humidity and the threat of thunderstorms could not deter the hundreds of guests who came from the Rockaway Peninsula and the Five Towns to celebrate the ribbon-cutting ceremony heralding the opening of St. John’s Episcopal Hospital’s new state-of-the-art Labor and Delivery Suite.

The standing-room-only event was held in a tremendous white tent set up across from the main building at Episcopal Health Service’s Clinical Learning Center. The ceremonies were orchestrated to perfection, with a string quartet providing lilting music and the hospital’s Food & Nutrition Services providing bottled water, gourmet refreshments, charming gifts, and colorful information folders.

Located on the ninth floor of the hospital on Beach 19th Street in Far Rockaway, the unit’s design features six spacious private suites to accommodate new mothers and up to three babies in maximum comfort with top-tier professional care. Warm, welcoming and family-friendly, the suites are a veritable aesthetic delight, the perfect setting to pamper mother and baby, featuring upscale amenities such as spa-like bathrooms.

The new Labor and Delivery Suite will include several nurses’ stations, specialized monitoring and care equipment, a triage area, and two large state-of-the-art operating rooms. Additionally, there are accommodations for round-the-clock staff. 

“This design allows patients to spend their time in a single room, providing enhanced comfort, privacy, and continuing of care throughout their birthing experience,” said Jacqueline Marecheau, MD, FACOG, chairperson of Episcopal Health Services (EHS) Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 

Lisa Chase-Hernandez, EHS Vice President for External Affairs, opened the program by welcoming all the guests and noting that the new Labor and Delivery Suite “represents a major investment in community health.”

“For over a decade, we’ve been focused on enhancing and expanding access to women’s health services across the Rockaways,” said Donald T. Morrish, MD, Chief Executive Officer of EHS. “When we conducted our Community Health Needs Assessment, residents expressed a clear need for an improved labor and delivery infrastructure. We heard that call and incorporated it into our strategic plan. This new Labor and Delivery Suite is a result of a community-driven vision and has been made possible thanks to the unwavering support of every level of government and generous private donors. It represents our ongoing commitment to equitable, high-quality treatment for all.”

Dr. Marecheau described the birthing suites as “a serene, sanctuary-like space for the women of this community. This is more than just a new unit. We are profoundly committed to giving every patient a safe, dignified, and supportive birthing experience.”

Although the groundbreaking for the unit took place in May 2024, Dr. Morrish stated that the push to bring it to fruition started over a decade ago when Queens Borough President Melinda Katz started seed funds for the project. That initiative was implemented when Borough President Donovan Richards took office. Dr. Morrish expressed his gratitude to Congressman Gregory Meeks, NYS Senator James Sanders, Jr., and NYS Assembly Member Stacey Pheffer Amato, as well as Richards, Katz, and the entire Rockaway Peninsula for their financial support “so that the future generations of Rockaway will be born here.”

The hospital intends to provide superior care for high-risk pregnancies and specialized services for mothers and infants who need additional attention and support. Dr. Morrish said that they took into account what the patients want, including any amenities they may have at home.

Additionally, St. John’s has implemented a doula program to provide educational support and reduce maternal and infant mortality, as well as a centering program, which offers maternal and infant health education with the benefits of lowering the rate of pre-term births and low-weight babies. EHS notes nationwide about 22 women per 100,000 die each year from pregnancy-related causes. More than 50,000 experience severe pregnancy-related complications.

The opening of the new Labor and Delivery Suite comes as a broader effort by EHS to modernize its facilities and meet the growing healthcare needs of the diverse communities it serves in southern Queens and western Nassau County. St. John’s Episcopal is the only hospital located on the Rockaway Peninsula, and serves a population that has historically been limited in their access to healthcare. 

Since its inception in 1905, St. John’s Hospital has continued to serve as a vital healthcare resource in Far Rockaway and neighboring communities. The opening of the Labor and Delivery Suite builds on the hospital’s legacy of addressing hospital disparities and delivering quality care where it is needed most.

Episcopal Health Services (EHS) is a health system located on the Rockaway Peninsula. The system provides emergency and ambulatory care to the densely populated, culturally and economically diverse and medically underserved Rockaways and Five Towns populations. The system provides people of all faiths with comprehensive preventive diagnostic treatment and rehabilitative services, regardless of their ability to pay.

In partnership with its community, Episcopal Health Services (EHS) provides exceptional healthcare and educational programs in an academic setting across the continuum of care. With signature stellar service as their hallmark, the system delivers high-quality, value-based services with cultural sensitivity, honoring the faiths and traditions they serve.

St. John’s Episcopal Hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission’s Health Facilities Accreditation Program and is approved by the New York State Department of Health. 

Rochelle Maruch Miller is a contributing editor for the Five Towns Jewish Times. She is a journalist, creative media strategist, lecturer, educator, and writes for magazines, newspapers, websites, and private clients. She welcomes your comments at [email protected]. Read more of Rochelle Maruch Miller’s articles at 5TJT.com.