Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital has been honored as one of four hospitals in Tennessee to receive the 2018 Tennessee BEST for Babies Award, presented by Tennessee Department of Health (TDH).

The BEST for Babies Award recognizes Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital's measured success in three areas critical to the health of newborns in Tennessee: breastfeeding initiation, sustained progress in reducing early elective delivery, and safe sleep policy sustainment.

"This award serves as another example of how we continue to prioritize personalized care for women and their families across Middle Tennessee," said Gordon Ferguson, President & CEO, Saint Thomas Health Regional Hospitals. "We are honored to receive this recognition from the Tennessee Hospital Association and grateful for our team of experts at Saint Thomas Rutherford that work to ensure quality care outcomes for new families we're privileged to serve in Middle Tennessee."

Awardees must have demonstrated either an increase of 5% in breastfeeding initiation rates at birth from calendar year 2016 to 2017 or a minimum breastfeeding initiation rate of 90% in 2017, early elective delivery rates below 0.5% for 2017, received the Cribs for Kids national safe sleep certification within the past two years, submitted the TDH safe sleep annual report for 2017, and show a minimum of 90% of cribs met American Academy of Pediatrics safe sleep guidelines in 2017.

Tennessee Department of Health has partnered with Tennessee birthing hospitals since 2014 to promote safe sleep practices for infants. The "BEST for Babies" award is the next step forward in helping give Tennessee babies a great start to life.