New laborist, nurse midwives hired at Cape Cod Hospital

Hospital looks to enhance care for mothers and their babies

Cape Cod Hospital is pleased to announce the recent hiring of a new Laborist Obstetrician and three certified nurse midwives as a way to enhance care for mothers and their babies at the hospital.

Luisa Kontoules, M.D., a board-certified Obstetrician, joined Cape Cod Hospital as a Laborist earlier this year. In addition, certified nurse midwives Janice DiGioia, C.N.M, M.S.N; Jeanette R. King, C.N.M.; and Jodi Belson, N.P., C.N.M, recently joined Cape Cod Hospital. They each work together with the hospital’s OB/GYN physicians – a team approach designed to provide the highest quality of care possible for women and their new babies.

“Our mission at the Family Birthplace at Cape Cod Hospital is to solidify our reputation as a center of birthing excellence that provides the highest level of care possible for parents and their new babies and enables rewarding and safe experiences for all involved. These new staff members will help us achieve this mission.” - Dian Birch, Director of Women and Children Services, Cape Cod Hospital

A Laborist is an obstetrician who works exclusively with laboring patients. Dr. Kontoules provides weekend coverage and manages the labor and delivery component of the peripartum experience. A native of the Azores, Dr. Kontoules graduated from Harvard University and the New York University School of Medicine. She did her residency at Tufts University Affiliated Hospitals. She has practiced in Massachusetts since 1998 and currently has a gynecology practice in Peabody.

A Certified Nurse Midwife is an individual educated in nursing and midwifery and certified by the American College of Nurse-Midwives. They work together with OB/GYN physicians to enhance care for women, as well as their newborn babies.  At the Family Birthplace at Cape Cod Hospital, the Certified Nurse-Midwife and the physicians have a team approach based upon the individual needs of each patient.  Together with the nursing staff, they help to fulfill the hospital’s commitment to quality care for all mothers and babies at Cape Cod Hospital.

Janice DiGioia earned her Masters of Science degree in Nurse-Midwifery at the University of Kentucky. She worked as the first C.N.M. at Cape Cod Hospital from 1985 through 1991 in private practice. She has also maintained an Ob/Gyn practice on the South Shore. Jeanette R. King earned her Masters of Science in Nursing at the University of Rochester in New York. She has served as an obstetrical R.N. in New York, and beginning in 1996 as a Certified Nurse Midwife in Maryland and Massachusetts.  She has worked in a variety of settings including free standing birth center, community hospital, and high volume, high risk tertiary care medical centers. Jodi Belson earned her Masters of Arts in Nurse-Midwifery at New York University. In her career, she has served as an R.N. and a Labor and Delivery Nurse in New York and as a Nurse Midwife in both New York and Massachusetts.

“We are pleased to add Dr. Kontoules, Janice, Jeanette and Jodi to our staff,” said Dian Birch, Director of Women and Children Services, Cape Cod Hospital. “Our mission at the Family Birthplace at Cape Cod Hospital is to solidify our reputation as a center of birthing excellence that provides the highest level of care possible for parents and their new babies and enables rewarding and safe experiences for all involved. These new staff members will help us achieve this mission.”

Release courtesy of Cape Cod Healthcare.

Cape Cod Hospital is a partner within Cape Cod Healthcare, a comprehensive, regional healthcare system spanning the entire Cape. Cape Cod Healthcare is the leading provider of healthcare services for residents and visitors of Cape Cod. With more than 450 physicians, 4,500 employees and 1,100 volunteers, Cape Cod Healthcare has two-acute care hospitals, the largest home health services agency on the Cape (VNA), a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility, an assisted living facility and numerous health programs. For more information, visit Cape Cod Healthcare’s web site at www.capecodhealth.org.