UnityPoint Health – Meriter Re-Designated as a Baby-Friendly®
Now designated until 2021
MADISON, Wis. UnityPoint Health – Meriter has been re-designated as a Baby-Friendly® birth facility until 2021.
The initiative encourages and recognizes hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for breastfeeding mothers and their babies. Based on the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, this prestigious international award recognizes birth facilities that offer breastfeeding mothers the information, confidence, and skills needed to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies.
There are more than 20,000 designated Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers worldwide. Currently there are 403 active Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers in the United States. Meriter is the only Madison hospital to have this distinction.
The “Baby-Friendly” re-designation is given after a rigorous survey is completed. The award is maintained by continuing to practice the Ten Steps as demonstrated by quality processes. Meriter’s has earned the Baby-Friendly designation since 2006.
Baby-Friendly USA, Inc is the U.S. authority for the implementation of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (“BFHI”), a global program sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
About UnityPoint Health – Meriter
UnityPoint Health – Meriter provides comprehensive, coordinated care to patients in the Greater Madison area through our clinics, hospital and home care services. Meriter offers primary and specialty care, including heart and vascular, orthopedics, women’s health, and is home to the busiest birthing center in Wisconsin. In 2016, Meriter earned an overall 5-Star quality rating from the Centers from Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), was named a 100 Top Hospital ® by Truven Health Analytics™ and won an Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ from Healthgrades. For more information, visit unitypoint.org.
