Summary
Your MomDoc provider will help you select a delivery hospital based on your clinical needs, the on-call schedule, and your preferences.
The metrics below provide public safety and capacity data for context. Discuss any specific questions regarding these statistics with your provider.
Who actually picks the hospital you'll deliver at
Hospital selection is a collaborative process. Your provider maintains privileges at specific facilities within the system, typically chosen based on proximity and clinical capabilities for your pregnancy profile. MomDoc utilizes an on-call group to ensure continuous bedside coverage. The physician attending your delivery may be your primary prenatal provider or an on-call partner. The final hospital destination during labor depends on bed availability, timing, and provider credentialing.
Patients can discuss specific preferences with their provider, such as proximity to home or requirements for a specific birth plan. The care team will accommodate these preferences when clinically appropriate. The practice's clinical judgment remains the primary factor in determining the safest facility for delivery. The following list outlines the hospitals where MomDoc providers currently hold privileges.
"A low grade doesn't always mean a worse hospital"
Some hospitals listed may display lower independent ratings, such as a B Leapfrog grade or a three-star CMS rating. It is necessary to contextualize these scores. MomDoc clinical leadership participates directly in site reviews for the Arizona Perinatal Trust, which certifies perinatal care levels across the state. The NICU levels displayed below reflect this specific certification process.
Independent rating systems average outcomes across a hospital's entire patient population. Hospitals serving as the primary facility for a large region admit all cases, including high-risk transfers and emergencies lacking prenatal care. This higher-risk patient mix affects average outcome statistics. Consequently, a facility in a metropolitan area that defers complex cases may maintain higher average ratings without necessarily providing safer care for an individual patient.
Rating methodologies also vary. The Leapfrog grading formula incorporates administrative metrics, such as the implementation of specific digital prescription systems, and does not isolate labor and delivery outcomes. Ratings provide general context but do not define the specific quality of maternity care.
Your provider recommends a hospital based on your specific clinical risk profile, provider privileges, and immediate operational factors like bed availability. Public grades serve as one data point in this comprehensive clinical assessment.
What the numbers actually mean
NICU Level: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit certification ranges from Level I (well-baby nursery) to Level IV (comprehensive surgical and subspecialty care). Level III units provide care for infants born as early as 28 weeks, including ventilator support. NICU capabilities become relevant for preterm risks, multiple gestations, or prenatally diagnosed fetal conditions.
Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade: An independent metric evaluating infection rates, surgical complications, and administrative process measures. As an aggregate score, it provides general safety context but does not isolate obstetric outcomes.
CMS Star Rating: A federal rating summarizing patient experience, mortality, readmissions, and care timeliness across all hospital departments.
Trauma Level: Designations (Levels I–IV) indicate readiness for severe multi-system emergencies. In obstetrics, a Level I or II center provides continuous access to specialized surgical and interventional radiology teams, which may be recommended for specific high-risk profiles.
Licensed Beds and Annual Births: These metrics indicate the operational scale of the facility, ranging from high-volume regional centers to lower-volume community hospitals.
When the stats actually change anything
For low-risk pregnancies, standard clinical requirements are met across the listed hospitals. Key factors typically include a Level II NICU capability, geographic proximity, and provider privileges.
Specific clinical conditions require specialized hospital capabilities:
- Multiple Gestations: Providers typically recommend facilities with a Level III NICU and an on-site maternal-fetal medicine team due to the increased probability of preterm delivery.
- Fetal Conditions: Prenatal diagnoses requiring specialized neonatal care determine the necessary NICU level.
- TOLAC/VBAC: Patients attempting a vaginal birth after cesarean require a facility that explicitly supports VBAC and maintains continuous 24/7 anesthesia coverage.
- High-Risk Maternal Profiles: Histories of severe postpartum hemorrhage or placental abnormalities may necessitate delivery at a Level I trauma center to ensure immediate surgical and interventional backup.
Clinical risk factors dictate facility requirements. In standard pregnancies, the provider's familiarity and privileges at a specific hospital take precedence over aggregate rating metrics.
What to do with this page
Review the hospital profiles below to understand the capabilities of our partner facilities. Direct any questions regarding these statistics or specific hospital requirements to your provider during a scheduled visit.