Brigham Ranked Best Hospital for Obstetrics & Gynecology in the Nation: Q&A with Nawal Nour, MD, MPH

Q: What does the U.S. News & World Report ranking for the Brigham’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology mean for you and the department?

Dr. Nour: As a department, we were so honored and thrilled to be ranked as the best hospital for Obstetrics and Gynecology in the nation. I think this is a testament to our faculty, staff, employees, and the department as a whole. It reflects all the hard work we did and have been doing for years. It’s an incredible feeling to be recognized as number one in the United States.

Q: What does this ranking mean to patients?  

Dr. Nour: When our patients see we are ranked number one, I hope they recognize that our efforts and our mission have continued to thrive despite difficult times. Our department has worked many hours, days, and nights through the COVID-19 pandemic, and we have continued to persist and provide the excellent care that our patients need. I hope patients come to see us because we really do provide a comprehensive kind of care, where we take care of patients holistically and are constantly considering diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout our efforts.

Q: What do you think makes the Brigham’s OB/GYN team #1 in the U.S.?

Dr. Nour: We have a truly dedicated team that is incredibly committed to excellent patient care and culturally competent care. Our department is patient-centric and ensures that we address the patient’s needs. With our constant diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, there is an inclusivity of care that wraps around our patients and makes our OB/GYN care special.

Q: How does this ranking relate to patient care delivered at the Brigham?

Dr. Nour: This ranking not only relates to the delivery of patient care at the Brigham, but it includes a wide spectrum of patients who receive extraordinary care based off cutting-edge research, from our gynecology oncology patients to our in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients. Believing in breakthroughs is in our DNA at the Brigham, and we’re dedicated to the future of patient care. We focus on the next generation to ensure our staff get the training they need to take care of our patients, ensuring we bring in diverse faculty, trainees, and students to work at the Brigham.

Q: Why should patients choose the Brigham for their OB/GYN care? How is the Brigham OB/GYN patient experience different? 

Dr. Nour: What really sets us apart from other places is that we provide holistic care for our patients, and we try to ensure every one of our patients’ needs are met. From the minute a patient walks into the Brigham, from the front desk to the layers of providers they see prior to meeting our physicians and midwives, we ensure they get the care that they need—such as providing an interpreter if they don’t speak English or involving a social worker if there is food instability or housing insecurity. We advocate for our patients, educating them and their families on what to expect throughout their experience. 

Q: How does the Brigham’s team-based, multidisciplinary approach benefit patients? 

Dr. Nour: We provide a full spectrum of care and ensure our patients see the right provider who can take care of them throughout their pregnancy, involving specialists who provide specific care for each patient’s unique situation. Our multidisciplinary team encompasses a range of service lines, so our patients don’t have to go from one place to the next for their care. For example, if a patient with diabetes is pregnant, they can see both an endocrinologist and an obstetrician during the same visit to the Brigham. We carry the patient through to the end and even ensure we extend that care to their home after pregnancy as well. Similarly, we have gynecologic care centers where we bring in different specialists depending on the patient’s needs, such as involving a gastrointestinal doctor if a patient’s endometriosis has spread. 

Q: Do you have any final thoughts on this accomplishment? 

Dr. Nour: As a fairly new chair, it’s been humbling to watch how hard people in this department work and how truly impactful they are—not just with the patients, but with each other. You see the true nature of people during difficult times, and even with some very tough years due to high volume and burnout from the COVID-19 pandemic, our team supported one another and was able to pull through. I think our department is just outstanding and this ranking is truly an honor.