The award was presented to CEO Dave Brooks and the executive leadership team of Providence Regional Medical Center Everett.   “We are delighted to honor Providence Regional Medical Center Everett with this special award,” said Thea Warner, Greater Puget Sound Executive Director of March of Dimes.  “Providence Regional Medical Center Everett is a family-friendly workplace that supports the well-being of their employees before, during and after their pregnancy.  Helping families have healthy babies makes good business sense.”

The March of Dimes is presenting the 2009 Healthy Babies Healthy Business Award to eight businesses across Washington state this month as part of the organization’s November Prematurity Awareness Month, which focuses  the state’s and nation’s attention on the impact premature birth has on babies, families and businesses. Preterm birth is a serious and costly problem that nationally affects more than a half million babies each year and costs the nation $26 billion dollars a year.

“It is an honor to receive the March of Dimes Healthy Babies Healthy Business award.  As a healthcare leader with over 4,000 births per year, it is very important that Providence Regional support our community in all aspects of maternity and postpartum care. Ensuring that our staff has access to a pregnancy-friendly work environment and all the resources needed to support mom and baby before and after delivery is paramount to having healthy and engaged employees,” says Dave Brooks, CEO, Providence Regional Medical Center.    

The March of Dimes applied 14 criteria in selecting the Healthy Babies Healthy Business honorees. They included: providing information to employees on preconception, prenatal, postnatal and infant care; providing a positive working environment that is smoke-, drug- and toxin-free for all employees, including those who are pregnant; encouraging healthy activities, such as walking and healthy food choices; and providing health insurance coverage that includes comprehensive preconception, prenatal, childbirth and postnatal care.

About
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies®, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org.