TACOMA, Wash., Dec. 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Expectant
mothers in south Puget Sound now have extra reassurance they are
receiving the best possible care. CHI Franciscan's St. Joseph
Medical Center joins an elite group of hospitals that have received
international recognition as a Designated Baby-Friendly birth
facility, by Baby-Friendly USA.
The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), is a global
initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The goal is to improve health
outcomes for pregnant women, mothers, and newborns through
breast-feeding.
St. Joseph Medical Center is one of nine hospitals in
Washington state to earn the
designation. More closely, it's the only hospital in the south
Puget Sound region to be certified under the Baby-Friendly banner.
To date, only 543 hospitals across the country have been accredited
with the honor.
"As a designated Baby-Friendly hospital, St. Joseph is
recognized for providing new mothers with thorough, consistent
education and support before leaving the hospital," said
Jakki Stodola, MBA, BSN, RNC,
director of the Family Birth Center at St. Joseph Medical
Center.
Hospitals are selected after a lengthy review process based on
the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding guidelines established by
the WHO. Babies who are breastfed have reduced risks of ear and
respiratory infections, asthma, sudden infant death syndrome
(SIDS), diabetes, and obesity. Breastfeeding also offers long-term
health benefits to mothers, reducing the risk of diabetes,
cardiovascular disease, and breast and ovarian cancers later in
life.
To comply with the rigorous BFHI review process, nurses and
medical staff took part in up to 20 hours of required education and
St. Joseph made changes to its breastfeeding policy.
"The result is that a mother who gives birth here will receive
significantly more education in order to make an informed decision
about feeding her baby, whether she chooses to breastfeed or use
formula," Stodola said. "When a mother has questions about feeding
her baby, our doctors, nurses, midwives, and staff will all give
consistent, evidence-based answers."
All CHI Franciscan Birth Centers offer outpatient lactation
programs, where any mother can receive expert, evidence-based
breastfeeding support and education close to home, from
West Seattle to Puyallup to the Peninsula.
"This recognition reflects CHI Franciscan's commitment to
providing excellent care for growing families," said Debbie Raniero, MBA, RNC, regional director of
Women's & Children's Services for CHI Franciscan. "We couldn't
have achieved this without the support of the entire hospital, from
our senior leadership right down to our housekeepers. We are all
extremely excited, proud, and happy for our community. Because we
are part of a larger system, we have changed practices in all of
our hospitals, not just St. Joseph Medical Center."
About CHI Franciscan
CHI Franciscan is a
Catholic nonprofit health system based in Tacoma, Washington, with $2.45 billion in total revenue and a team of more
than 12,000 physicians, providers, nurses, and staff that provide
expert, compassionate medical care at 11 acute care hospitals and
over 200 primary and specialty care clinics throughout the greater
Puget Sound. This includes St. Anthony Hospital, Gig Harbor; St. Clare Hospital, Lakewood; St. Elizabeth Hospital, Enumclaw; St. Francis Hospital, Federal Way; St. Joseph Medical Center,
Tacoma; Harrison Medical Center,
Bremerton and Silverdale; Highline Medical Center,
Burien; Regional Hospital,
Burien; CHI Franciscan
Rehabilitation Hospital, Tacoma,
and Wellfound Behavioral Health Hospital, Tacoma. Started in 1891 by the Sisters of St.
Francis of Philadelphia, today CHI
Franciscan is one of the largest health systems in Washington state. The system is comprised of
more than 1,200 hospital beds and over 4,000 credentialed providers
offering cardiovascular care, cancer care, orthopedics and sports
medicine, neurosciences, women's care and other health care
services. CHI Franciscan's mission is to create healthier
communities, including caring for the poor and underserved. In
fiscal year 2018, the organization provided $190 million in community benefit—free,
subsidized, and reduced cost health care and programs. Follow
CHI Franciscan on Facebook facebook.com/FranciscanHealth,
Twitter @FHSHealth and
Instagram @franciscanhealth or go to our website for
information www.chifranciscan.org.
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SOURCE CHI Franciscan Health