From left, Marilee Aust of Healthgrades Operating Company, Inc. presents the Labor and Delivery Excellence Award to Madera Community Hospital CEO Evan Rayner, chief of staff Dr. Mohammad Arain and board chair Stell Manfedi. The hospital was given a five-star rating for vaginal and C-section delivery by Healthgrades, an online provider for information of on physicians, hospitals and health care providers. The department is headed by Dr. Charles E. Ugwu-oju. Photo by Donald A. Promnitz

Madera Community Hospital has been recognized for its quality in obstetrics as one of the best hospitals in the United States.

The hospital was given the Labor and Delivery Excellence Award by Healthgrades Operating Company Inc., a provider of online information on physicians, hospitals and health care providers. Madera Community received a five-star rating from Healthgrades both for vaginal and C-section delivery. The non-profit hospital delivers close to 1,000 babies every year.

The award was presented by Marilee Aust, the senior quality consultant for Healthgrades on Thursday.

“These awards do not come by accident,” Aust said. “They reflect the culture of the hospital and the tireless effort of all of you — the entire hospital team — to deliver outstanding patient outcomes.”

Hospitals that receive the Labor and Delivery Excellence Award have a 54 percent lower risk in complications on average, Aust said at the presentation. Healthgrades further found that Madera Community Hospital was in the top 10 percent of hospitals in the United States.

“Not only has your hospital proven itself as a leader providing vital medical services, your employees also demonstrated their dedication to treating one of the most engaged cohorts of consumers out there today — and that’s women,” Aust said.

This is the fourth time the obestrics and gynecology department at Madera Community, headed by Dr. Charles E. Ugwu-oju, was honored for excellence in labor and delivery.

“It takes time and talent,” Dr. Ugwu-oju said, “and we use that a lot to help optimize the outcome for our patients.”

“We are striving for excellence and we will continue to strive for excellence, and part of that excellence is the incredible team that I’m so appreciative of,” Madera Community Hospital CEO Evan Rayner said. “Consistent outcomes show the perfect match in healthcare, so my hats are off to that team.”