New role boosts Westmead women’s health services

Accurate staff forecasting, improving service delivery and providing easier access to midwifery records is a focus for Westmead Hospital’s clinical midwife consultant Monica Hook.

To help Monica make improvements, she has implemented a clinical database called eMaternity.

Monica uses eMaternity to capture a woman’s medical history starting from her first prenatal appointment, the birth, all the way through to the final home visit with the midwife.

“I’m excited to be working in this role and enjoy providing this accurate information to our staff especially when we can immediately see the number of babies born with the click of the mouse,” Monica said. 

“Before eMaternity was available, some doctors and midwives were unable to view non-maternity medical records.  Now other health professionals including dieticians and physiotherapists can view the patient record.

Monica started working at Westmead Hospital as a registered nurse in orthopaedics in 1981 – ironically the same year the IBM personal computer was launched.

In 1983, she transferred to midwifery where she remains today.

Monica has also been instrumental in the success of a pilot program at Westmead Hospital which identified and helped women who experienced difficulties in breastfeeding.  This program has been adapted by other local health districts across the state.

More than 5400 families birth their baby at Westmead Hospital each year. Westmead Women’s and Newborn Health service is at the forefront of birthing and obstetrics serving the largest and most diverse population in western Sydney.

To contact Westmead Women’s and Newborn Health, click here.