MONROE, La. (KNOE) – St. Francis Medical Center in Monroe received the Birth Ready designation from the Louisiana Department of Health and the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative (LaPQC) for the first time since the recognition’s inception in 2021. This means the hospital has been recognized as offering high-quality care in its labor and delivery unit.
32 hospitals in Louisiana received the Louisiana Birth Ready or Birth Ready+ Designation in 2024. To receive this designation, hospitals undergo a rigorous application and review process each year by the LaPQC Birth Ready Designation committee. Many hospitals that received the designation have been working with the LaPQC for several years to improve outcomes for mothers and infants in Louisiana.
Hospitals recognized as Birth Ready centers were evaluated in areas such as implementation of policies and procedures to improve recognition and response to clinical causes of severe maternal morbidity, promotion of patient partnership, and focus on health disparities and equity. Birth Ready+ designations were given to hospitals that exceeded the Birth Ready criteria.
LaPQC was created by the Louisiana Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality. The purpose of the organization is to reduce significant factors contributing to poor birth outcomes by promoting the implementation of evidence-based practices. Health equity and reduction of racial and ethnic disparities is another focus of the initiative.
“Birthing hospitals across Louisiana are working hard to ensure the safe and equitable delivery of care to Louisiana families,” said Dr. Veronica Gillispie-Bell, medical director of the LaPQC. “Quality improvement teams in birthing hospitals are persevering through the current challenges in healthcare, including staff shortages, to make sure their processes are resilient and consistent in order to see improved outcomes.”
The following Louisiana birthing hospitals achieved Birth Ready designation (an asterisk indicates a newly designated Birth Ready facility):
- Christus Ochsner Lake Area Hospital
- Christus Shreveport-Bossier – Highland Medical Center
- Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital
- Iberia Medical Center
- Lake Charles Memorial Hospital for Women
- Lakeside Hospital LCMC Health
- Ochsner American Legion Hospital
- Ochsner LSU Health Monroe
- Slidell Memorial Hospital
- St. Francis Medical Center*
- Terrebonne General Health System
- Thibodaux Regional Health System
- West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital
- Willis-Knighton South and the Center for Women’s Health
The following Louisiana birthing hospitals achieved Birth Ready+ Designation (a double asterisk indicates a facility that moved their Birth Ready Designation to Birth Ready+):
- Baton Rouge General Hospital**
- East Jefferson General Hospital LCMC Health
- Lakeview Hospital LCMC Health
- Lane Regional Medical Center
- North Oaks Health System
- Ochsner Baptist Medical Center
- Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center**
- Ochsner Medical Center Baton Rouge**
- Ochsner Medical Center Kenner**
- Ochsner St. Anne Hospital**
- Ochsner LSU Health St. Mary Medical Center
- Ochsner Medical Center West Bank**
- Our Lady of the Angels Hospital
- Rapides Women’s and Children’s Hospital**
- St. Tammany Health System**
- Touro Infirmary LCMC Health
- West Jefferson Medical Center LCMC Health**
- Woman’s Hospital
For more information about the LaPQC, contact [email protected]. For more information on Birth Ready Designation and a full list of hospitals, visit lapqc.org.
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