Kaiser Permanente opens Mom and Newborn Center on Maui

HONOLULU — Kaiser Permanente in Hawaii opened a new Mom and Newborn Center on Maui, the first of its kind on the Valley Isle. Located at the Kaiser Permanente Maui Lani Medical Office in Wailuku, the center embraces moms and newborns within 48 hours of being discharged from the hospital. The center adds the convenience of combining postpartum checkups for both mom and baby in one visit, providing physical and emotional well-being assessments for mom, as well as weight and other health monitoring for baby. The lactation consultant who visits with mom and baby in the hospital will visit the couple again at the Mom and Newborn Center to provide continued support in the breastfeeding process.

“The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the World Health Organization have begun a push nationally to consider the postpartum period the fourth trimester,” said Kristin Redenbaugh, DO, Maui section chief of ob-gyn for Kaiser Permanente in Hawaii. “We have taken that seriously and are working hard to make care accessible and meaningful for our moms, babies, and families.”

This expansion in care comes at a crucial time, after the only private practice obstetrics group on Maui stopped providing obstetrical care in 2023, limiting access across the island. In May 2024, Kaiser Permanente brought on an additional four maternity care providers, which include two obstetrician-gynecologist physicians and two certified nurse-midwives. In June 2024, a third certified nurse-midwife joined the team making it the largest ob-gyn department on Maui with a team of 12 maternity care providers (8 physicians, 3 midwives, and 1 nurse practitioner.)

Ed Chan, MHA, RD, FACHE, market president of Kaiser Permanente in Hawaii, stated, "Expectant families on Maui deserve safe, high-quality, and timely care. We understand the importance of support and care during this significant time in a family's life and it has been our priority to meet the needs of expectant families on Maui. The expansion of maternity services reflects Kaiser Permanente's unwavering commitment to providing high-quality, accessible health care to our Maui community."

Highlights of Kaiser Permanente’s expanded maternity services include:

• KP Connected: Already live, this innovative program offers a flexible option for low-risk prenatal care, combining in-person and virtual visits. Expectant birth parents will receive a kit that includes a blood pressure cuff and a fetal Doppler (handheld ultrasound tool) for convenient at-home monitoring. Piloted on Oahu, this program is now available to our members on Maui, highlighting the organization’s dedication to accessible and adaptable prenatal care.
• Centering Pregnancy: Beginning in the fall of 2024, the Kaiser Permanente Wailuku Medical Office will host group support sessions that aim to foster a sense of community among pregnant members and their partners, allowing them to share experiences and support one another through their pregnancy journey.

These expanded maternity services on Maui underscore Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to ensuring that every family has access to the care and support they need for a healthy start in life. Early and regular prenatal care is critical for a healthy pregnancy. Prenatal care not only significantly lowers the risk of preterm births but also aids in identifying potential complications that might go unnoticed without regular monitoring. Furthermore, it establishes a foundation of support and trust between expectant parents and their health care team, ensuring a continuum of care that is essential for everyone’s health.

This addition bolsters Kaiser Permanente’s award-winning staff of over 700 health care providers in Hawaii’s largest multispecialty medical group practice, Hawaii Permanente Medical Group, which serves over 269,000 members in Hawaii.