Memorial Health System Receives Gold Award

Memorial Health System Receives Gold Award

The Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition and its Business Case for Breastfeeding program has awarded Memorial Health System a gold award for the support it provides its employees who are breastfeeding.  This award, the top ranking of three sponsored by the Coalition, recognizes businesses that provide support services to their breastfeeding employees, to include education as well as the time and space for employees to nurse and/or pump breast milk at their workplace.

According to Brenda Bandy, director of the Business Case for Breastfeeding program in Kansas, Memorial Health System received the award for achieving a high level of support to employees by providing a ‘gold level’ pumping room, allowing flexible time to pump, and instituting a policy of breastfeeding support.

Pointing out that many breastfeeding mothers abandon breastfeeding when they return to work because they lack the support and appropriate facilities at their place of employment, Bandy said, “We want to help change that unfortunate situation.”  She cited research showing that adequate support for breastfeeding employees benefits businesses through savings in health care expenses, reduced turnover rates, lower absenteeism, and increased employee loyalty.  According to Bandy, employers that have established support services for breastfeeding employees have reported a $3 for $1 return on investment plus realizing a more productive working environment.  

Brenda Moffitt, Memorial Hospital Chief Nursing Officer, educates MHS staff regarding the health system’s policy of breastfeeding support and the availability of a pumping room.  She states, “As a health care provider, we understand the importance of breastfeeding and the many proven health benefits it provides both mother and baby.  As an employer, we can have several staff members at any given time who have chosen to breastfeed and our goal is to be as supportive of them in that effort in as many ways as we can.” 

The Business Case for Breastfeeding is a program to assist employers in developing or enhancing support service for their breastfeeding employees.  The Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition is a non-profit 501(c)3 with the mission of working collaboratively to promote and protect breastfeeding in order to improve the health of Kansas families.

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