EMPower Initiative Conducting Hospital Coaching Visits Nationwide

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• Last Updated on Wednesday, 15 July 2015 21:52

The Center for Public Health Quality (CPHQ) continues to collaborate with Abt Associates (Abt) and the Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute (CGBI) to promote the designation of Baby-Friendly Hospitals through Abt’s $6.6 million contract with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Since our last update in November, the project has been branded “EMPower Breastfeeding: Enhancing Maternity Practices (EMPower),” and approximately 95 hospitals have been selected to work with the EMPower Team to achieve Baby-Friendly Designation.

As a part of the initiative, each hospital is assigned a coaching dyad, consisting of one breastfeeding and one quality improvement expert. From June to November 2015, coaching dyads will hold a one-day on-site coach visit with each hospital. During the coach visit, the dyad will work with the hospital team and leadership to tailor their technical assistance plans. To date, 15 coach visits have already been completed.

"The feedback received from the hospitals is that there has been a careful assessment of their readiness and as a result a great deal of motivation and enthusiasm in progressing with next steps to achieve their Baby Friendly Designation,” said Jill Winkler, an EMPower QI Coach.  “Hospitals are welcoming the assistance and unique perspective that the QI and Breastfeeding dyads bring to their team thereby making, what may seem as daunting, achievable. The excitement is palpable."

After the coach visits, dyads will continue to support their hospitals through monthly group calls, quarterly all-hospital webinars, and just-in-time individualized technical assistance.