Baylor All Saints Medical Center at Fort Worth announced today that they have been designated as a Mother-Friendly Worksite. Among the many benefits of the Mother-Friendly Worksite Program are increased employee morale, greater productivity and the improved health of the employee's child.
Created by the Texas Legislature in 1995 and administered by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), the mother-Friendly Worksite Program recognizes companies and institutions that provide for new mothers returning to work and desiring to continue to breastfeed. To be designated as a Mother-Friendly Worksite, businesses and institutions must provide work scheduled flexibility to allow time for pumping breastmilk or nursing infants, offer a private space where the employees can either pump or nurse and ensure easy access to clean running water and refrigeration.
"We want to accommodate our employees who are new mothers. We also want them to know that Baylor Fort Worth supports them by offering these services," says Julie Strittmatter, director, human resources at Baylor Fort Worth. "We are extremely pleased to be designated as a Mother-Friendly Worksite."
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. The agency keeps a list of all Mother-Friendly Worksites in Texas on their Web site.
The not-for-profit Baylor All Saints Medical Centers serve more than 100,000 people annually through two hospitals, numerous primary care physician centers and practices, a rehabilitation and fitness center, and a variety of medical specialties. Programs of excellence in cardiology, transplantation, neurosciences, oncology and women's services form the heart of the hospitals' services. All Saints joined Baylor Health Care System in January 2002. All Saints Health Foundation, a separately incorporated not-for-profit organization, raises and manages charitable funds to support Baylor All Saints Medical Centers. For fiscal year 2007, Baylor Health Care System reported $390 million* in community benefit, which includes providing care for charity patients and patients enrolled in government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, as well as the unreimbursed costs of medical education, research and community programs. For a physician referral, call toll free 1-800-4BAYLOR.
*Represents preliminary information that will be reported to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
CONTACT:
Mary Johnson
817.922.7088
maryjohn@baylorhealth.edu
Sunny Drenik
817.922.7100
sunnydr@baylorhealth.edu
About Baylor Scott & White Health
As the largest not-for-profit health system in the state of Texas, Baylor Scott & White promotes the health and well-being of every individual, family and community it serves. It is committed to making quality care more accessible, convenient and affordable through its integrated delivery network, which includes the Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, the Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance and its leading digital health platform – MyBSWHealth. Through 51 hospitals and more than 1,200 access points, including flagship academic medical centers in Dallas, Fort Worth and Temple, the system offers the full continuum of care, from primary to award-winning specialty care. Founded as a Christian ministry of healing more than a century ago, Baylor Scott & White today serves more than three million Texans. For more information, visit: BSWHealth.com