Ochsner Health is a system that delivers health to the people of Louisiana, Mississippi and the Gulf South with a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate.
Lafayette, La.– Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center was recently recognized by the National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program as a “Gold Safe Sleep Hospital” for their commitment to best practices and education on infant safe sleep. OLGMC is one of three Louisiana hospitals to earn a Safe Sleep Certification.
The National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program was created by Cribs for Kids®, a national organization dedicated to preventing infant sleep-related deaths due to Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) and accidental suffocation. As a Nationally Certified Safe Sleep Hospital, Ochsner LGMC is recognized for following the safe sleep guidelines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and providing training programs for healthcare team members, and safe sleep education to family and caregivers.
“We are proud to join the national effort to reduce infant mortality,” said Matthew Cortez, MD, Director of Neonatology, Ochsner LGMC. “The Cribs for Kids® National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification is an important step in our efforts to provide parents and caregivers with evidence-based information while in the hospital and ultimately arm parents with practical things they can do at home to help their baby sleep safely once they leave our hospital.”
More babies are delivered at Ochsner LGMC than at any other hospital in the region. With our new expansion of women's services, we'll soon be able to celebrate 47% more birthdays and more chances to provide safe sleep education to new families. Ochsner LGMC remains the only hospital in the region with intensive care units for both mom and baby under the same roof.
Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths (SUID), which includes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), accidental suffocation in a sleeping environment and other deaths from unknown causes, result in the loss of more than 3,400 infants every year in the U.S. The 2018-2020 Louisiana Child Death Review categorized Sudden Unexpected Infant Death as the second leading cause of infant death in Louisiana with an average of 90 deaths each year. Bed-sharing, unsafe bedding and stomach or side sleeping were among the greatest risk factors reported for sleep-related infant deaths in the state.
To learn more about safe sleep guidelines and the Cribs for Kids® National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification program, visit www.cribsforkids.org.
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About Ochsner Lafayette General
Ochsner Lafayette General has more than 5,500 employees and serves 220,000 patients per year. The organization includes Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, Ochsner Lafayette General Orthopedic Hospital, Ochsner Lafayette General Surgical Hospital, Ochsner St. Martin Hospital, Ochsner University Hospital & Clinics, Ochsner Acadia General Hospital, Ochsner Abrom Kaplan Memorial Hospital, Ochsner American Legion Hospital and a number of clinics, urgent cares and professional centers. Ochsner LGMC is the only Level II Trauma Center in Southwest Louisiana. Both Ochsner LGMC and Ochsner UHC are major teaching hospitals, providing graduate medical education across many disciplines.