Stephens County Hospital

Thanks to a kind of local baby boom, Stephens County Hospital will be adding some equipment to the second floor.

On Monday, the hospital authority voted to spend almost $38,000 for a new fetal monitor, and special wiring for 4 rooms on the 2nd floor.

This will allow ob patients who are not necessarily giving birth, but still need monitoring to be housed on the second floor.

Hospital administrator Ed Gambrell says the hospital has seen almost 700 births this year, the largest number ever.

Therefore, beds in the OB department are often filled with moms in labor and not available for moms simply needing extra monitoring.

The new equipment will allow them to be housed on the 2nd floor but monitored by the ob nurses downstairs.