COVINGTON, La. – St. Tammany Health System’s New Family Center has for the second time earned the Gift Shining Star designation, the highest designation within The Gift program. The Gift is a quality improvement initiative recognizing hospital maternity programs through the Louisiana Department of Health – Office of Public Health – Bureau of Family Health.
Louisiana birthing facilities that achieve rigorous standards of performance in outcomes and participation as defined by the program are eligible for either Gift or Gift Shining Star designation. Birthing facilities are reviewed for performance on specific practices for birthing persons and policies that are aligned with the evidence-based, internationally recognized Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding from the WHO/UNICEF Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, a designation St. Tammany Health System has held since 2018.
Gift facilities are also assessed for their degree of participation in quality improvement activities and implementation of available patient education materials. Policy development, education of staff, patient education and provision of discharge resources for breastfeeding persons are key components of the program.
“We are thrilled to continue our longstanding commitment to the practices exemplified in The Gift Shining Star designation,” said Cindy Ingram, assistant vice president for women and children’s services at St. Tammany Health System. “This achievement demonstrates our team’s commitment to high-quality, patient-centered care. It highlights commitments our hospital has made to help produce the best outcomes for our birthing families.”
The Gift is an evidence-based designation program for Louisiana birthing facilities designed to increase breastfeeding rates and hospital success by improving the quality of maternity services and enhancing patient-centered care. The Gift Shining Star designation enables St. Tammany Health System to achieve further certifications and accreditations as well as meet national and international quality measures and standards of care.
“Our goal is to provide birthing persons and babies with the very best information and tools at this crucial moment in their lives and we are able to do so through valuable hospital partners like St. Tammany Health System,” said Marci Brewer, Neonatal Initiatives Program Manager, Bureau of Family Health. “The Gift program encourages other facilities to follow St. Tammany’s lead in attaining this designation and the international designation, Baby-Friendly, a global initiative to promote hospitals and birthing centers that offer optimal care in lactation services.”
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About STHS: The heartbeat of its community, St. Tammany Health System cares for patients and families with excellence, compassion and teamwork. It is recognized for quality, safety and service excellence by CareChex, Leapfrog, Healthgrades, Hospital Compare, Women’s Choice and US News & World Report. St. Tammany Parish Hospital Service District No. 1 and Ochsner Health work together in partnership to improve the community’s health and quality of life. Together, west St. Tammany’s top two independent health leaders represent the most complete system of care, aligning behind the common goals of improving access, expanding specialty care and making care affordable. Under their agreement, each retains its autonomy; neither manages nor owns the other. Self-supporting, not-for-profit STHS is A+ rated by Fitch and receives no tax funding. More at StTammany.health
About The Gift: Launched in 2006, Louisiana’s The Gift program has designated 42 of 52 eligible birthing facilities. It is a hospital designation program that provides resources and a framework to help birthing facilities improve breastfeeding outcomes through incremental adoption of internationally recognized evidence-based practices, the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. The Gift program encourages continued progress toward pursuit of Baby-Friendly™ designation. All Louisiana birthing facilities are eligible to participate in The Gift. For more information, please visit www.thegiftla.org.