Birth Ready Designation

mother and child

LaPQC Birth Ready Hospital Designation

In an effort to recognize participating Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative (LaPQC) facilities and create a system of sustained evidence-based change, the collaborative offers Louisiana Birth Ready Designation. With two tiers of achievement — Birth Ready and Birth Ready+ — this designation recognizes facilities’ consistent, healthcare, and quality improvement work. Birth Ready Designation also celebrates improved perinatal health outcomes, the result of implementing safe, patient-centered, and dignified clinical practices to improve outcomes for all women who give birth in Louisiana.

Each Designation level includes the following five areas of requirement: participation in collaborative learning; patient-centered care; policies and procedures; structures and education; and outcome and process measures.

Facilities Awarded Birth Ready Designation

The following Louisiana birthing hospitals have achieved the Birth Ready Designation:

  • Baton Rouge General Medical Center
  • CHRISTUS Shreveport Bossier – Highland Medical Center
  • CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital
  • CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital
  • Iberia Medical Center
  • Lake Charles Memorial Hospital for Women
  • Lakeside Hospital LCMC Health
  • Ochsner American Legion Hospital
  • Ochsner Medical Center – Baton Rouge
  • Ochsner Medical Center – West Bank
  • Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital
  • Slidell Memorial Hospital
  • St. Francis Medical Center
  • Terrebonne General Health System
  • Thibodaux Regional Health System
  • West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital
  • Willis-Knighton Bossier Health Center
  • Willis-Knighton South and the Center
    for Women’s Health

The following Louisiana birthing hospitals have achieved the Birth Ready+ Designation:

  • East Jefferson General Hospital
  • Lakeview Regional Medical Center
  • Lane Regional Medical Center
  • North Oaks Medical Center
  • Ochsner Baptist- A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center
  • Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center
  • Ochsner LSU Health – St. Mary Medical Center
  • Ochsner LSU Health Monroe Medical Center
  • Ochsner Medical Center – Kenner
  • Ochsner St. Anne Hospital
  • Opelousas General Health System
  • Our Lady of the Angels Hospital
  • Rapides Regional Medical Center
  • St. Tammany Health System
  • Touro Infirmary LCMC Health
  • West Jefferson Medical Center
  • Woman’s Hospital

Learn more:

Hospitals receiving the Birth Ready Designation did not pay for this honor; rather, facilities went through a rigorous application and review process by the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative to receive the Birth Ready Designation. Facilities interested in joining the LaPQC or learning more about the Birth Ready Designation can contact us at lapqc@la.gov.

mother and child

Initiatives

The Gift

The primary home for neonatal and mother-baby care best practice implementation, including breastfeeding and parent-infant bonding.

Safe Births Initiative

The primary home for the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health bundle of implementation and perinatal outcomes work.

Obstetric Readiness in Emergency Deptartments

Supports emergency departments to improve readiness for obstetric emergencies.

Caregiver Perinatal Depression Screening

Supports pediatric practices in screening and establishing referral pathways for caregivers impacted by postpartum depression.

Community Birth Initiative

Supports freestanding birth centers and community birth providers with readiness and response to maternal and neonatal emergencies.