Performs better than 85 percent of national facilities with similar number of births
Gifford Health Care performed better than 85 percent of similar facilities nationwide in a 2015 survey on infant feeding practices in maternity care settings, according to the most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC).
Gifford scored 92 of 100 points on the Maternity Practices in the Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) survey. Across Vermont the average score was 88, and the national average mPINC score was 79. Nationally 2,582 facilities providing maternity services responded to the 2015 mPINC survey (82 percent).
“Gifford has always been a leader in providing women’s and obstetrics services and supporting moms and babies,” said Gifford’s Chief Operating Officer Barbara Quealy. “This report reflects the excellent quality embedded in our pregnancy and maternity programs, which create an environment that promotes and supports health and nutrition practices.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), hospital practices in the first hours and days after birth are a critical factor for successfully breastfeeding and improved infant nutrition. The mPINC survey was created to help hospitals assess their success in seven “best practices” areas of infant feeding care:
- Labor and delivery care
- Postpartum care
- Breastfeeding assistance and contact between mother and infant
- Facility discharge care
- Staff training
- Structural/organizational aspects of care delivery
For more information on the mPINC survey visit: http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/mpinc/index.htm
Gifford’s Birthing Center: Since 1977 Gifford’s Birthing Center has set the standard of care for women in Vermont and continues to be a leader in family-centered care, obstetrics, and midwifery. For more information call 802-728-2257 or visit http://www.giffordmed.org/BirthingCenter
