Erlanger East has been awarded the “BEST for Babies” Award from the Tennessee Department of Health and the Tennessee Hospital Association.
The award recognized 18 birthing hospitals for their efforts to reduce infant death rates in Tennessee. The BEST award stands for breastfeeding, early elective delivery reduction and safe sleep for Tennessee babies. TDH has partnered with Tennessee birthing hospitals since 2014 to promote safe sleep for infants and help give babies a great start to life.
“We are proud of the efforts our team has made to ensure babies born at Erlanger East have the best start in life,” said Traci Josephsen, senior director and ACNO Women’s and Children’s at Erlanger Health System. “Providing a safe, educational and supportive environment for mom and baby is paramount to helping reduce infant death rates.”
"TDH partnerships with birthing hospitals and THA have helped improve birth outcomes and infant health in Tennessee," officials said.
The state’s infant mortality rate has decreased from 7.4 per 1,000 live births in 2017 to 6.9 in 2018. Sleep-related infant deaths in Tennessee declined from 144 in 2017 to 128 in 2018, according to TDH.
"Each year, Erlanger Health System delivers over 75 percent of the babies born in the region," officials said.
Erlanger East has been voted the “Best Place to Have a Baby” in Chattanooga for the past 12 years