MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. – With the arrival of Bayleigh Brooke Loosier on Friday, April 3, Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast celebrated the 1,000th delivery in its Family Birth Place. Since opening in September 2007, the Family Birth Place team has been dedicated to providing family-centered maternity care, which focuses on family interaction, patient safety and education.

“It’s hard to believe that just a few years ago people wondered whether or not there was truly a need for maternity services at our community hospital,” said Roger Hall, president of Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast. “There is certainly a need, and we are honored to serve women and families of our community and throughout the region. Families are even beginning to register and return for their second visit to the Family Birth Place, which is quite rewarding.”

Bayleigh is the second child of Brooke Davis and Joshua Loosier of Santa Rosa Beach, and her older brother Tristan also welcomed her into the family. Dr. Melinda Graham, obstetrician and gynecologist, delivered the 1,000th baby.

“I am very fortunate to be part of the Family Birth Place team,” said Dr. Graham. “It truly is a family oriented place, and the fact the we are growing so quickly speaks highly of the care we strive to provide here.”

Three obstetricians and gynecologists currently deliver babies at the Family Birth Place, including Dr. Melinda Graham and Dr. Tamara Petrac with Sacred Heart Medical Group, and Dr. Jennifer Esses with Women and Children First. The Family Birth Place offers a variety of childbirth and parenting education classes, including breastfeeding classes, baby weigh days, Dr. Harvey Karp’s Happiest Baby class, a super siblings class, a baby blues discussion group, and much more. Tours of the Family Birth Place are available on Monday evenings at 6 p.m.

Since opening its doors to patient care in January 2003, Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast continues to fulfill its mission to improve the health of the community at large with special attention to service of the poor. Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast was recently named one of the nation’s 100 Top Hospitals® by Thomson Reuters, a leading provider of information and solutions to improve the cost and quality of healthcare. Sacred Heart was also among 23 winning hospitals, and the only hospital in Florida, that received the Everest Award for National Benchmarks.

For more information about the Family Birth Place at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast, please call (850) 278-3600 or visit www.sacredheartemerald.org.
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