Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Earns Second National Recognition for Maternity Care

Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Family Birth Place is being recognized as one of the Best Hospitals for Maternity Care for 2022 by Money magazine and The Leapfrog Group. The hospital is the only one to receive the award in Northwest Florida. 

“To have our maternity care recognized on the national level earlier this year was something we were very proud of,” said Bryan Walrath, President, Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast. “To be honored by a second publication in the same year further speaks to the compassionate, high-quality and personalized care our associates provide to all the mothers, babies and their families that our hospital cares for.” 

The Best Maternity Care distinction recognizes facilities that have provided exceptional care to mothers, newborns and their families. The Leapfrog Group, in partnership with Money, used maternity care hospital survey data submitted by August 31st to determine its list of 259 top-performing hospitals in the United States. To qualify for the list, hospitals had to have achieved an “A” or “B” Hospital Safety Grade on Leapfrog’s spring 2022 assessment and meet Leapfrog’s specific maternity care standards. 
Nearly 1,500 babies were born last year at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast. The hospital includes a Level II NICU for premature and critically ill babies. 

Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast was also named to Newsweek’s 2022 list of Best Maternity Care Hospitals. It is the only hospital in the area to hold the Baby-Friendly designation in recognition of its commitment to the highest level of breastfeeding support and education. We also received a Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade of an “A” for Spring 2022. 

The full list of recipients is available online.