Your Care at
Good Samaritan Hospital
Location
375 Dixmyth Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45220
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Honest information to help you choose and prepare
How to use this guide
See what this hospital does well and how they are improving care.
Hospital Snapshot
Infant Care
How this hospital supports mamas and babies
- Tracks infant outcomes by race and ethnicity to identify gaps and improve newborn care
- Stronger tracking by race and ethnicity is being built to better understand and close disparities
- Tracks and supports families with skin-to-skin care
- Provides daily breastfeeding support following national best practices, including hands-on support, earning a 1-Star Ohio First Steps for Healthy Babies designation
- Teaches families about creating safe sleeping spaces, helps them get a safe crib if they need one, and has earned a Gold-level Cribs for Kids certification
- As the largest birthing health system in Cincinnati, more mamas with full-term babies who need extra care choose to deliver here, and the hospital uses this data to improve care for mamas and babies
What this means for you
Maternal Care
How this hospital supports mamas and babies
- More mamas who deliver here start prenatal care early compared to the regional average
- Offers early prenatal care through in-network providers and reaches out to mamas who haven’t started care yet
- Helps with food, housing, transportation, safety, and emotional support
- Helps mamas quit smoking with tobacco treatment specialists and nicotine replacement options (gum, lozenges, patches, and tablets)
- Offers postpartum family planning onsite and same-day virtual mental health care
- Uses safety checks during labor to act quickly if complications appear
- Has a formal policy that welcomes doulas in every part of birth, with guidelines so everyone is on the same page
- Tracks maternal outcomes by race and ethnicity and reviews them
What this means for you
Community Care
How this hospital supports mamas and babies
- Connects mamas to community resources by zip code for food, housing, transportation, safety, emotional well-being, and baby supplies
- Works with a wide network of partners to connect families to resources: Freestore Foodbank for food assistance, Housing Authority, United Way, St. Vincent de Paul, Legal Aid, and local shelters for housing and legal help, Uber and Medicaid for transportation, and Women Helping Women for safety support
- Connects families to TriHealth financial counseling to help with insurance, financial assistance, and medical costs
- Partners with community-led groups like Queens Village to center Black mamas’ voices in care and advocacy
What this means for you
Hospital Commitment
How this hospital supports mamas and babies
- Reviews maternal outcomes by race and ethnicity to find gaps in care and improve care
- Looks at patient feedback and satisfaction to understand what’s working and what needs to change
- Improves birth safety by participating in statewide and national safety programs, including the Ohio Perinatal Quality Collaborative and the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health, focusing on high blood pressure and postpartum hemorrhage
- Partners with the Queens Village Hospital Advisory Board to review progress on care improvements, share updates, and identify priorities
- Collaborates with community doulas and Queens Village Hospital Advisory Board members to co-develop doula policy and training tools, with community voices guiding both the content and how success is measured
- Shares Mama Certified information throughout the hospital to reinforce its commitment to better care
- Supports staff through wellness programs and a fully staffed Labor & Delivery team
What this means for you
Commitment to Black Mamas and Babies
Who leads this work:
Our commitment:
Community partnership
Community partnership
Black mamas and community partners help guide how care improves at this hospital through the Queens Village Hospital Advisory Board (QVHAB). The QVHAB brings together Black mamas, community partners, and Good Samaritan Hospital leaders to improve birth care.
They share real experiences, review where care can be better, and guide changes that support safer, more respectful births for Black families. Their feedback helps shape hospital practices, birth plans, and staff training so care reflects what Black mamas say they need.
Co-creation in action
Co-creation in action
Because of the partnership with the Queens Village Hospital Advisory Board (QVHAB), Good Samaritan Hospital:
- Trained staff on how to work alongside doulas and created a new doula training video shaped by Black mamas’ experiences and feedback
- Strengthened its doula-friendly policy so doulas can support you through every stage of birth
- Used research and real birth experiences through the Mama Certified birthing experience survey to guide improvements in care
How this hospital listens to families
How this hospital listens to families
- Patient surveys and feedback
- Follow-up calls or visits after care
- Review of patient concerns
- Input from the community advisory board
- Mama Certified experience study
- Changes made based on family feedback
- Mamas are encouraged to speak up during care
What this means for you
This partnership ensures that Black mamas play an active role in shaping how care improves. Your experiences help set priorities, guide staff training, and influence the policies and practices that support safer births.
It also means the hospital is held accountable through regular reviews, shared data, and ongoing collaboration, leading to care that is safer and more responsive to the needs of every mama and baby.
Question You Can Ask
How can I share feedback about my care?
Staff Training and Equity
- Offers Employee Assistance Program, a career success center, free onsite fitness memberships, and TriHealth Lifting Caregivers, Good Samaritan’s support program for all employees
- Staff complete Mama Certified and soft-skills training including communication, teamwork, and clinical skills that support safer care
- More than 90 percent of staff have completed implicit bias training, helping ensure every mama receives care that is safe and respectful
- Good Samaritan trains staff on working with doulas so the full care team understands the doula’s role and how to support families together
Your Pregnancy Journey at Good Samaritan Hospital
Before Delivery
Getting Prenatal Care Early (Before 13 Weeks)
Good Samaritan Hospital works to help mamas start care early and get support with scheduling, access, and questions along the way.
Starting Prenatal Care Early
How support works here
- More mamas who deliver here start prenatal care early compared to the regional average of 60.50%
- Offers early prenatal care through in-network providers
- Tracks pregnant patients from the emergency room and follows up to get them scheduled for an appointment
- Provides extra support for mamas who received late or limited prenatal care
How they help you start care sooner
- They listen early for what might make care harder, like transportation, and provide timely support including Lyft rides to help mamas get to prenatal visits
- They prepare staff to recognize access challenges and connect mamas to the right support so they can start prenatal care as early as possible
Where support is growing
- Partnering with community partners, social workers, and language interpreters to support families who start prenatal care later
- Follow-up on support referrals is getting stronger. Staff check in to make sure mamas receive the help they asked for and step in if things get in the way
Why this matters
What this means for you
See more sample questions on the Advocacy & Resources page (to be commented out for launch)
During Your Birth
Your voice, your choices, and your support team (including your doula) should be part of your care. This section walks you through what usually happens during birth and how to ask for the care you deserve.
Every birth is unique, so your experience may look a little different from what’s shown here.
Your Care Team, Rights, and Support People
Your care team includes nurses, providers, and the people you choose to support you. This hospital uses a team-based approach so you can be part of decisions about your care.
Your Rights During Care
Know Your Rights
Doulas and Support People
Staff are trained to work with doulas as part of your care team so you have emotional and physical support throughout your birth.
What this means for you
A doula provides emotional and physical support during labor and birth. A doula is not a medical provider.
How support works here
- Bring your doula to support you during labor, birth, and recovery, based on clinical setting and hospital guidelines
- Have your chosen loved ones, a partner, family member, or friend, by your side
- Only one support person is permitted in the operating room, either a doula or a personal support person. In emergencies, support persons may not be permitted.
Can my doula be with me the whole time?
See more sample questions on the Advocacy & Resources page (to be commented out for launch)
Your Birth Choices and Support
C-sections
How support works here
- Tracks C-section rates for first-time, low-risk mamas
- Works to safely lower unnecessary C-sections
- Plans to review C-section data by race
Question You Can Ask
See more sample questions on the Advocacy & Resources page (to be commented out for launch)
Birth Safety
What this hospital focuses on
- Preventing dangerous bleeding
- Watching for high blood pressure
- Using safer labor and C-section protocols
- Tracking serious maternal complications
- Participating in statewide birth safety programs through the Ohio Perinatal Quality Collaborative and the Ohio Department of Health
Question You Can Ask
See more sample questions on the Advocacy & Resources page (to be commented out for launch)
Planned Early Delivery (37–39 Weeks)
Question You Can Ask
See more sample questions on the Advocacy & Resources page (to be commented out for launch)
Being Heard During Your Stay
What this hospital focuses on
- They ask for feedback through patient surveys
- They follow up with calls or visits after your stay
- Providers review any concerns you share
- A community advisory board lifts up the voices of Black mamas
- Through the Mama Certified birthing experience study, they hear directly from Black mamas and make care better where needed
What this means for you
Question You Can Ask
See more sample questions on the Advocacy & Resources page (to be commented out for launch)
Caring For Your Baby
Feeding Your Baby
This hospital supports you whether you breastfeed, pump, or need another plan. Why? Because your first days with your baby should feel cared for, not rushed. This hospital will explain your choices, offer guidance and respect no matter what feeding looks like for you.
How this hospital helps you feed your baby
- Provides daily breastfeeding support with hands-on help and donor milk
- Keeps you and your baby together 24/7 and supports your feeding choices, including formula
- Coordinates discharge so you and your baby have ongoing feeding support after leaving the hospital
Question You Can Ask
See more sample questions on the Advocacy & Resources page (to be commented out for launch)
Skin-to-Skin and Bonding
How this hospital supports skin-to-skin care
- Uses skin-to-skin care after birth to support bonding, early feeding, and your baby’s transition
- Trains staff to help mamas and babies have safe, supported skin-to-skin time
- Tracks and reviews skin-to-skin care to make sure this support is provided consistently
Question You Can Ask
See more sample questions on the Advocacy & Resources page (to be commented out for launch)
If Your Baby Needs Extra Support
Some babies need more medical care after birth. If your baby needs extra support, this hospital is prepared to help.
When a baby needs extra care
- Working to reduce complications by reviewing newborn outcomes during clinical meetings
- Has emergency plans and safety programs to respond quickly
- Has Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Services (NICU)
Question You Can Ask
See more sample questions on the Advocacy & Resources page (to be commented out for launch)
Your Health & Going Home
Getting Ready to Go Home
Keeping you and your baby safe at home
Here’s how this hospital prepares you for going home
- Asks mamas and families about food, housing, financial support, safety, emotional well-being, transportation, substance use, and baby supplies
- Connects families to local programs including Freestore Foodbank, Women Helping Women, United Way, St. Vincent de Paul, Legal Aid, Queens Village, Housing Authority, and Uber
- Offers an onsite food pantry so mamas can get the food they need
- Teaches safe sleep steps before you leave the hospital
- Helps families get a safe crib if they need one
Question You Can Ask
See more sample questions on the Advocacy & Resources page (to be commented out for launch)
Your Healing After Birth
How this hospital helps you heal after giving birth
- Provides care instructions for your body and your baby
- Talks to you about warning signs you should watch out for
- Tells you who to call for help
Question You Can Ask
How do I know if my healing is on track?
See more sample questions on the Advocacy & Resources page (to be commented out for launch)
Support for Your Emotional Health
Feeling sad or overwhelmed does not mean you are weak. It means you need support. Because postpartum depression is common (and treatable), this hospital asks about mental health and follows up when concerns appear.
How this hospital supports your emotional health
- The hospital asks about your emotional health several times during care using a simple survey that helps the care team understand how you are feeling
- If these check-ins show you may need extra support, the hospital connects you with onsite social workers and same-day virtual appointments with mental health providers
Question You Can Ask
See more sample questions on the Advocacy & Resources page (to be commented out for launch)
Planning Ahead
Family planning and birth control
- Offers onsite postpartum family planning and counseling
- Talks about birth control options with every mama before they go home
- Provides contraceptive counseling, prescriptions, and long-acting birth control options onsite so you can continue care after leaving the hospital
Question You Can Ask
See more sample questions on the Advocacy & Resources page (to be commented out for launch)
Have Questions or Concerns?
At Good Samaritan Hospital
This hospital has patient advocates, social workers, and care team members who can help if you have questions, concerns, or something doesn’t feel right.
At Mama Certified
We want to hear from you too. Whether you have questions about this guide, want to share your experience, or just need someone to listen, we’re here.
What it Means to Be Mama Certified
What Good Samaritan Hospital Earned
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This hospital is a Mama Certified Leader because they are:
- Honest and transparent about their results
- Support your whole life, not just your medical care
- Find and fix gaps in care that affect Black mamas
- Listen to Black mamas and community voices and use that feedback to improve