Jersey Shore University Medical Center Ranked in the Top Ten Percent Nationally in Newborn Feeding Practices

Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center ranked in the top ten percent of hospitals across the nation in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 2020 mPINC Survey.  The CDC’s national survey of Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) assesses maternity care practices and provides feedback to encourage hospitals to make improvements that better support breastfeeding. 

“About every two years, the CDC invites all hospitals across the country to complete the mPINC survey.  The questions focus on specific parts of hospital maternity care that affect how babies are fed,” said Scott W. Smilen, M.D., FACOG, chair of obstetrics and gynecology, Jersey Shore University Medical Center (JSUMC).  “This is helpful as the CDC shares specific best practices back with us, based on our survey answers, so we can continually enhance the way we support breastfeeding mothers.”  JSUMC received perfect scores in the areas of immediate postpartum care, feeding education, and hospital discharge support for moms as well as institutional management, supporting maternity services.

JSUMC provides mothers with comprehensive medical and nursing obstetrics and gynecology services.  They include care for complex pregnancies, prenatal and postpartum programs, outpatient lactation services, as well as educational, social, and nutritional support.  An outpatient Center for Breastfeeding supports mothers during and after their hospital stay, and is staffed by International Board Certified Lactation Consultants. 

“I applaud the commitment shown by our teams to foster healthy breastfeeding relationships for moms and their infants,” said Vito Buccellato, MPA, LNHA, president and chief hospital executive, JSUMC.    

Additionally, JSUMC offers a full range of high-quality health services to women at every stage of life, from adolescence to menopause.  The gynecology service consists of leaders in gynecologic oncology, urogynecology (female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery), family planning, minimally invasive surgery, pediatric and adolescent gynecology, reproductive endocrinology and infertility.  Newborns with any health complications receive care from specialists in the academic medical center’s state-designated Level III High Risk Perinatal Center.

Obstetrics services continue to expand as a record number of babies were delivered at JSUMC in 2020 with 2,971, and that number is set to be eclipsed in 2021.  “The word is out as more and more families select our academic medical center for their maternity care.  Jersey Shore and K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital, located on its campus, provide the most comprehensive and advanced health care services for women and children in Monmouth and Ocean counties,” said Kenneth N. Sable, M.D., MBA, FACEP, Hackensack Meridian Health regional president, southern market.

For information about the survey, visit https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/mpinc.

For more information about services, visit www.jerseyshoreuniversitymedicalcenter.com.  For a free physician referral, call 844-HMH-WELL.