St. Francis Medical Center Achieves Birth Ready Designation, Elevating Maternity Care Standards for Northeast Louisiana Families
May 10, 2024
Monroe, LA — St. Francis Medical Center proudly announces its accreditation with the esteemed Birth Ready designation by the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative (LaPQC). This recognition stands as a testament to the hospital's unwavering commitment to providing exceptional maternity care and exceeding benchmarks for quality and patient satisfaction, empowering mothers in Northeast Louisiana to choose the highest quality care for their families.
The journey toward achieving the Birth Ready designation involved a rigorous process of assessment, implementation and continuous improvement. St. Francis Medical Center's dedicated team of healthcare professionals collaborated closely to ensure alignment with the highest standards of maternal care. To achieve this designation, facilities must meet criteria in five dimensions: participation in collaborative learning; health disparity and patient partnership; policies and procedures; structures and education; and outcome and process measures.
“We are incredibly proud of our team's dedication and hard work in achieving the Birth Ready designation," said Thomas Gullatt, MD, president of St. Francis Health. “This recognition reaffirms our mission to provide exceptional care to the communities we serve and empowers us to continue our pursuit of excellence in maternal healthcare."
St. Francis Medical Center's achievement of the Birth Ready designation not only reinforces its commitment to innovation and excellence in maternal healthcare but also enhances the services it offers mothers through all maternity stages. As Northeast Louisiana's only Level III OB, OB-ED, and Level III NICU facilities, St. Francis Medical Center provides comprehensive care to expectant mothers and their newborns, ensuring optimal outcomes from pregnancy to postpartum care.
“Our attainment of the Birth Ready designation reflects our efforts to elevate maternal care standards," said John Bruchhaus, MD, chief medical officer at St. Francis Health. “Through planning and implementation of evidence-based practices we have created an environment where expectant mothers and their families can feel confident and supported every step of the way.”
For more information about St. Francis Medical Center's maternity care services and its Birth Ready designation, please visit stfran.com.
About St. Francis Health
St. Francis Health is a not-for-profit Catholic healthcare ministry based in Monroe, Louisiana, with more than 1,800 team members committed to caring for those we serve. With a 328-bed medical center, acute-care hospital, freestanding outpatient center, over 20 outpatient clinics and nearly 350 physician partners, for more than 100 years, St. Francis has provided comprehensive healthcare services for a variety of medical and surgical specialties. St. Francis offers Northeast Louisiana’s only Level 3 NICU, Level 3 OB and Level 2 PICU services. St. Francis Medical Center leads the region in heart and vascular services, critical care, and complex and minimally invasive surgical procedures. The hospital offers a designated Level 3 Trauma Program, Graduate Medical Education Program, Accredited Chest Pain Center, and Centers of Excellence in the areas of obstetrics, bariatric surgery, robotic surgery, minimally invasive gynecology, and breast health. St. Francis is part of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System and is driven by its mission to serve all God’s people, especially those most in need. For more information, visit stfran.com.