Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine Designated as a Mother-Friendly Worksite

Contact: Torrey L. McGraw, 817-329-2857
Email: torreymc@baylorhealth.edu

(GRAPEVINE, TX, Nov. 15, 2007) - The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) recently designated Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine a Mother-Friendly Worksite through a program that recognizes companies and institutions that provide accommodations for new mothers who desire to continue breastfeeding after returning to work.

To earn this distinction, businesses and institutions provide work schedule flexibility to allow time for pumping breast milk for nursing infants, offer a private space where the employee can either pump or nurse, and ensure easy access to clean running water and refrigeration. The Mother-Friendly Worksite Program was created by the Texas Legislature in 1995.

"We are extremely honored to have our facility designated as a Mother-Friendly Worksite," said Doug Lawson, president, Baylor Grapevine. "We want our employees who are new mothers to know that we support their decision to continue breastfeeding."

Lawson added, "Our employees are the cornerstone of Baylor Grapevine's success and this recognition aligns with our mission to be trusted as the best place to give and receive safe, quality, compassionate health care."

To become Mother-Friendly, a business or institution must develop a policy reflecting its support for its breastfeeding employees and then submit an application to DSHS. Baylor Medical Center at Garland also is a Mother-Friendly Worksite.

This honor is one of three received by Baylor Grapevine this year. In May 2007, Baylor Grapevine received The Texas Health Care Quality Improvement Award, which honors Texas hospitals that are performing quality initiatives aimed at improving outcomes in patient care by recognizing those hospitals that have improved their initial baseline performance on specific national quality measures. In April 2007, the hospital received a VHA Leadership Award for Clinical Excellence for acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) and heart failure. This award means that Baylor Grapevine has differentiated itself around national performance standards by achieving performance at the 90 percent or above level on clinical core measures.

Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine is a full-service, fully-accredited hospital, serving residents in more than 20 cities throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. The hospital offers advanced medical care for brain and spine conditions, cardiovascular care, intensive care, diagnostic imaging, women's services, neonatal intensive care, sleep disorders and emergency care.

For fiscal year 2007, Baylor Health Care System will report $390 million in community benefits to the Department of State Health Services.