Lake Pointe Medical Center Receives Texas Ten Step Program Designation

ROWLETT, Texas - Oct. 21, 2015 - PRLog -- Lake Pointe Medical Center (LPMC) has earned the Texas Ten Step Program facility designation from the Texas Department of State Health Services. This designation signifies a positive step toward improving the health of newborns and infants and allows LPMC to join a growing number of Texas birth facilities that are supporting new mothers and their decision to breastfeed. The Texas Ten Step Program encourages breastfeeding as the preferred method of feeding for newborns and infants.

“We are proud to be recognized as a facility that provides a strong, progressive environment for newborns, infants and their families,” said Jamie Hambrick, Women’s Services Manager at LPMC. “Lake Pointe Medical Center has worked hard to reach this accomplishment, and we believe this designation attests to the great work and quality care we provide to our patients.”

Currently, only 14.5 percent of Texas mothers exclusively breastfeed for six months. Breastfeeding is one of the most effective preventive health measures for infants and mothers and LPMC, along with109other Texas hospitals, hopes to increase exclusive breastfeeding rates among new mothers by creating a hospital setting where a woman’s choice concerning breastfeeding can be best supported.

Based on the World Health Organization WHO/ UNICEF’s Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, the program aims to assist a birth facility’s support of breastfeeding mothers before, during, and after delivery; encourages them to identify breastfeeding resources for the mother after she is discharged; and assists facilities in improving on national performance measures such as the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) Breastfeeding Report Card. The goal of the Texas Ten Step Program is to increase breastfeeding initiation rates to 82 percent.

Texas Ten Step facilities are asked to address 85 percent of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, be designated as a Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite, evaluate their breastfeeding policies, maternity care practices and educate all healthcare staff routinely with evidence-based courses.

ABOUT LAKE POINTE MEDICAL CENTER

LakePointeMedicalCenter is a 112-bed acute care hospital located at 6800 Scenic Drive in Rowlett.  Lake Pointe Medical Center has been serving the region’s healthcare needs since 1987.  The hospital provides a wide spectrum of medical services, including an emergency department with Fast Track services, a 14-bed intensive care unit, women's services, a Level II and Level III NICU, interventional cardiology, diagnostic imaging, and eight operating rooms.  With a medical staff of over 500 physicians, Lake Pointe Medical Center provides most specialty services.  The hospital has been designated as a Pathway To Excellence Facility three times by the American Nurse Credentialing Center.  The hospital holds CIGNA Center of Excellence Designations for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), General Cardiac Medical (heart attack, heart failure, irregular heartbeat), Stroke and Vaginal Delivery.  The hospital is designated as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission and a Level IV Trauma Center by the Texas Department of State Health Services.  In 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, LPMC was named one of the nation’s top performers on key quality measures by The Joint Commission.  The hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency, licensed by the state of Texas and certified for participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.  To learn more about LakePointeMedicalCenter, visit www.lakepointemedical.com.