LCMC Health Hospitals receive Birth Ready Designation by Louisiana Department of Health

Touro and West Jefferson Medical Center join East Jefferson General Hospital in receiving designation

New Orleans, LA – The Louisiana Department Health (LDH) and the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative (LaPQC) announced that Touro Infirmary has achieved the Louisiana Birth Ready+ and West Jefferson Medical Center (WJMC) achieved the Louisiana Birth Ready Designations. The two LCMC Health hospitals join East Jefferson General Hospital in being recognized for consistent, thoughtful healthcare improvement work that focuses on improving safety, equity, and promoting dignified birth.

The Birth Ready Designation is a system that reinforces and ensures the implementation of best practices to improve readiness of birthing facilities. Hospitals qualify by implementing policies and procedures, promoting patient partnership, and addressing health disparities and equity. To achieve these designations, EJGH and WJMC met criteria in five dimensions including participation in collaborative learning; health disparity and patient partnership; policies and procedures; structures and education; and outcome and process measures. Touro met an even higher threshold of compliance and achievement receiving the Birth Ready+ Designation.

“LCMC Health is proud to have three hospitals within in our health system recognized for achieving Birth Ready designations,” said Dr. John Heaton, President and Chief Medical Officer, LCMC Health. “We are honored that parents continue to trust our hospitals during their most vulnerable times. We remain committed to enhancing maternal health outcomes and consistently improving the culture of care within our system.”

LCMC Health strives to bridge the gap of healthcare disparities to address the unique needs of this community. By offering programs that improve the level of compassionate care received, patients and families receive a personalized experience leading to healthier outcomes and stronger communities.

“On behalf of the LaPQC, I want to congratulate all of the birthing facilities who have earned Birth Ready or Birth Ready+ Designation,” said Dr. Veronica Gillispie-Bell, medical director of the LaPQC. “Our list of hospitals that have met the criteria has grown in a short time. This honor has even more significance when you think about the challenges hospitals are facing right now between staff shortages and the ever-changing landscape due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Achieving designation speaks to the resiliency of processes in our hospitals to improve birth outcomes.”

The work of the LaPQC, an initiative of the Department’s Bureau of Family Health, is dedicated to improving perinatal and neonatal outcomes across Louisiana. The LaPQC was created to promote the implementation of evidence-based practices to reduce significant factors that contribute to poor birth outcomes. The Collaborative also focuses on promoting health equity and reducing racial and ethnic disparities.