Our Lady of the Angels Hospital Receives Birth Ready+ Reaccreditation, Continues to Set New Standards in Maternity Care for Washington Parish Families

May 15, 2024

Bogalusa, LA - Our Lady of the Angels Hospital proudly announces its reaccreditation with the esteemed Birth Ready by the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative (LaPQC). This recognition not only reaffirms the hospital's commitment to excellence in maternity care but also highlights its continued dedication to serving the families of Washington Parish.

Since 2021, Our Lady of the Angels Hospital has upheld the Birth Ready designation, demonstrating its ongoing dedication to elevating maternity care standards in Washington Parish. This accreditation reflects the hospital's unwavering commitment to providing exceptional healthcare services to families in rural communities, ensuring that expectant mothers receive the highest quality of care throughout their birthing journey.

“This accomplishment reaffirms our unwavering dedication to the well-being of Washington Parish families,” said Chuck Spicer, Our Lady of the Angels and Our Lady of the Lake Health president. “We remain committed to delivering top-notch maternal healthcare and ensuring the best possible outcomes for mothers and newborns in our community.” 

To achieve designation, facilities must meet criteria in five dimensions: participation in collaborative learning; health disparity and patient partnership; policies and procedures; structures and education; and outcome and process measures. Hospitals that achieve Birth Ready + Designation have met a higher threshold of compliance and achievement of the requirements.

“Our labor & delivery director, Patsy Welch, and her team have worked hard to establish Our Lady of the Angels as a premier destination for maternal fetal care. As a result of her efforts, and the commitment of our nurses and physicians, we have consistently achieved exceptional quality outcomes that far surpass state and national averages. This rigorous distinction is a testament to our remarkable team,” said Ralph L. Serpas III, RN, MSN, vice president and Chief operating officer, Our Lady of the Angels Health.

Patsy Welch, RN, BSN, IBCLC, director of labor & delivery at Our Lady of the Angels Hospital, attended a conference in 2014 about Louisiana’s maternal morbidity and mortality crisis, which ignited her career focus to improve birth practices and safety to prevent tragedies.

“We heard testimony of family members that had lost their loved ones during and after pregnancy, many of these diagnoses identified were proved preventable,” Welch says. “I knew if we did not institute changes it was not a matter of if, but when we would lose a patient to hemorrhage and hypertension. The work became my passion — every patient, every time with safe birthing practices.”

The reaccreditation process involved a rigorous evaluation of the hospital's maternity care practices, including participation in collaborative learning, health disparity, and patient partnership, policies and procedures, structures and education, and outcome and process measures. Our Lady of the Angels Hospital's dedicated team of healthcare professionals collaborated closely to ensure alignment with the highest standards of maternal care, ensuring that expectant mothers receive holistic care tailored to their individual needs.

Proud to continue serving as a trusted healthcare provider for the families of Washington Parish, Our Lady of the Angels Hospital remains dedicated to advancing rural maternity care and improving outcomes for mothers and newborns.

For more information about Our Lady of the Angels Hospital's maternity care services and its Birth Ready+ reaccreditation, please visit oloah.org.