On June 14, Health and Senior Services Commissioner Mary E. O'Dowd will tour South Jersey Healthcare Elmer Hospital to highlight the state's funding to New Jersey hospitals to care for the uninsured and underinsured.
The entire South Jersey Healthcare system will receive $7.4 million in state hospital funding, an increase of more than $138,000 over last year. South Jersey Healthcare Elmer Hospital will see an increase of $17,000 in state funding in this year's budget.
As part of her visit, Commissioner O'Dowd will tour the hospital's maternity unit to view the advancements Elmer Hospital made to achieve Baby-Friendly status. South Jersey Healthcare Elmer Hospital was the first hospital in New Jersey to achieve the Baby-Friendly designation.
The designation is from Baby-Friendly, USA, an accrediting body that implements the United Nation's Children's Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organization (WHO) Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. The initiative encourages and recognizes hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for infant feeding. Elmer Hospital is one of only two hospitals in the state that have received the Baby-Friendly designation. Capital Health in Hopewell was the second hospital in New Jersey to receive the designation.
The tour will begin at 1pm in the hospital lobby located at 501 W. Front St., Elmer.
