Dear Everyone,
Just want you all to know that this list has some wonderfully creative
people participating and sharing great ideas. Thank you all.
Dear Jane Bradshaw- Here's another "neutral" name I have been referred as:
         "La Policia de tete'" or translated as the "Titty police"
I've noticed that other nurses and physicians watch closely at my reactions
to these playful names. I have found that if I laugh back and reply "that's
right" they are reminded that I am sooooooo secure in my belief in what I am
promoting that the name calling quickly ends and we go right on with a
productive discussion about whatever current breastfeeding dilemma brought
me to them in the first place.
Dear Lisa Updike-  It would be helpful to all attempting to bring the BFHI
to a hospital if patients were billed for every individual item or service
they used. Then the hospitals could recoup their expenditure of purchasing
formula by charging it to the indiv. patient. At the present time with
managed care and capitation, most hospitals now contract with the different
insurance carriers for their services in a "package".  Therefore hospitals
now must be creative about how they are going to deliver the same service
(maternity and nursery services)to a new mom and her baby for an agreed upon
set price. (And of course this price must be competitive and less than what
the hospital used to get)  That is why the timing is so difficult with
trying to add any costs to the hospital.
I am currently working with my own hospital employer, some market
researchers, and a handful of really supportive people in an attempt to
somehow show that by becoming a BFH we can attract more customers and an
increased market share, improve the health of children in our community, and
effectively decrease hospital lengths of stay and pediatric re-admissions,
which will ultimately offset the cost of purchasing our formula, and the
salary of a lactation consultant. (all prayers appreciated)
Therefore I am finally getting to my point that I need HHHEEELLLPPPPP in the
way of ANSWERS to the question," How have hospitals worked out the cost of
purchasing all the formula and other supplies (nipples, volufeeds)?
I would greatly appreciate some advice from people who have accomplished
this difficult obstacle of a task.
I have snail- mailed a few people but no responses yet and our next meeting
is this Tues.! HHHEEELLLLPPPP!
Please , please anyone with some good answers or ideas to help me please
forward privately to :             [log in to unmask]
Thanks!
And another use for all that freebie ABM? Why not ship it to the local Baby
Friendly hospital that currently purchases any ABM they use?
(A patient with U_He_lthc_re insurance just told me that she recieved a few
cans of "Bear" formula from her insurance co. when she put down on her
prenatal questionare a ? mark in the "feeding method" box. Now isn't that an
interesting way to help a customer decide? And help her baby get off to a
good start??  ;(
Carrie Edwards



Caroline Edwards RNC IBCLC
Atlantic City Medical Center-NICU
Atlantic City, NJ
609-441-8186
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