Press Releases

NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens and Elmhurst Achieve Prestigious Baby-Friendly Redesignation

Both hospitals reaffirm commitment to optimal maternal and infant care through evidence-based practices

May 23, 2025

Queens, NY — NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens and Elmhurst today announced their redesignation as Baby-Friendly hospitals, a global recognition of excellence in maternity care and infant feeding support. This achievement underscores their dedication to advancing equitable health outcomes, reducing racial disparities, and empowering families through evidence-based practices, including breastfeeding education, culturally competent doula care, and comprehensive women’s health services. The redesignation, awarded by Baby-Friendly USA, validates both hospitals’ adherence to the World Health Organization’s Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, a framework proven to improve maternal and infant health. At Queens and Elmhurst Hospitals, these practices are part of a broader commitment to addressing systemic inequities, particularly for women of color who face disproportionately high rates of pregnancy-related complications.  

Neil J. Moore, MBA, MPA, FACHE, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens, emphasized the transformative impact of the Baby-Friendly initiative: “This redesignation reflects our promise to deliver equitable, patient-centered care. From our obstetrics teams to pediatric specialists, every member of our staff is dedicated to ensuring families receive the tools they need for a healthy start.”

At NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, CEO Dr. Helen Arteaga-Landaverde highlighted the intersection of clinical excellence and community trust: “As a former breastfeeding mother, I know firsthand the importance of compassionate support. Our Baby-Friendly practices and doula partnerships are lifelines for families navigating systemic barriers—this is how we close gaps in care.”  

Both hospitals prioritize culturally responsive care through comprehensive women’s health programs. Queens’ Center of Excellence in Women’s Health offers prenatal care, maternal-fetal medicine, and lactation support, while Elmhurst’s Women’s Health Pavilion provides high-risk pregnancy management and mental health services. Free doula services at both hospitals have reduced cesarean sections by 15% and increased breastfeeding initiation by 25% among women of color. “Our doulas are advocates and educators, ensuring every mother’s voice is heard,” said Stacey Whaley, Director of Nursing for Women & Children’s Division at Elmhurst Hospital.  

Dr. Abbi-Gail Baboolal, DNP, FNP, MSN, Chief Nursing Officer at Queens Hospital, noted the role of nursing staff in driving progress: “Breastfeeding education begins at the bedside. Our nurses empower families with the skills to thrive long after discharge—this is the heart of sustainable care.”

Dr. Dave Holson, Chief Medical Officer at Queens Hospital, added: “This achievement is a testament to interdisciplinary collaboration. From obstetrics to pediatrics, we are united in our mission to advance health equity.”  

Queens Hospital increased exclusive breastfeeding rates from 5% to over 50% in its majority-minority patient population over the past decade. Dr. Alice Garner, Chief of Newborn Services at Queens Hospital, emphasized the long-term impact: “By removing barriers to breastfeeding, we’ve seen tangible improvements in infant health. Our work is about giving babies the strongest possible foundation.”

At Elmhurst Hospital, Dr. Frederick Friedman, Director of OB/GYN, stated: “This honor recognizes our entire team’s dedication to optimizing health from birth, ensuring every family feels supported.”  

Dr. Jennifer Pintiliano, Associate Director of Pediatrics at Elmhurst Hospital, reinforced the broader vision: “Baby-Friendly is not just a designation—it’s a pledge to uphold evidence-based care that respects every family’s choices and nurtures lifelong well-being.”

Dr. Marcy Stein Albert, Director of Pediatrics at Queens Hospital, added, “This redesignation is a milestone, not an endpoint. We will keep pushing boundaries to ensure no family is left behind.”  

Both hospitals reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining Baby-Friendly standards and expanding initiatives that address disparities. Joann Gull, Chief Nursing Officer at Elmhurst, said: “We will continue centering the voices of marginalized communities, because equity is not a goal—it’s a responsibility.”  

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About Baby-Friendly USA
As the accrediting body and national authority for the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) in the United States, Baby-Friendly USA is responsible for upholding the highest standards in infant feeding care by coordinating and conducting all activities necessary to confer the prestigious Baby-Friendly designation and ensure the widespread adoption of the BFHI in the United States.  Learn more about Baby-Friendly USA and the BFHI at www.babyfriendlyusa.org.

About NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens
A member of NYC Health + Hospitals, NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens is a major health care provider in the borough of Queens. Its foremost mission is to provide quality, comprehensive care to all members of the public regardless of their ability to pay. The year 2015 marked its 80th anniversary of serving the communities of central and southeastern Queens, having first opened its doors as Queens General Hospital in 1935. Encompassing 360,000 square feet, it comprises 253 licensed beds, spacious ambulatory care suites featuring both primary and specialty services, and cutting-edge equipment. It also houses four Centers of Excellence: Cancer Care, Diabetes Management, Women’s Health, and Behavioral Health.  The hospital has recently added a fully expanded Emergency Room, a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence accredited by the American College of Radiology, and a Total Hip and Knee Replacement Center, with plans underway to build the Health System’s first Dialysis Center to train patients to perform their own at-home dialysis.  To learn more about NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/queens/.

About New York City Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst
NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, part of the NYC Health + Hospitals health care system, is the major tertiary care provider in the borough of Queens. The 545-bed hospital is a Level 1 Trauma Center, an Emergency Heart Care Station, a Thrombectomy Capable Stroke Receiving Center, a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Center of Excellence and a 911-Receiving Hospital. It is a premiere health care organization for several specialties, including surgery, cardiology, women’s health, pediatrics, rehabilitation medicine, renal services, and mental health services. Last year, the hospital received close to 700,000 ambulatory care visits and over 130,000 emergency room visits. The hospital has been nationally-ranked and named as a “Best Regional Hospital” by US News and World Report, and has been noted for providing exceptional care in key areas, including Heart Failure, Heart Attack, Stroke, Hip Fracture, Maternity, Kidney Failure, Orthopedics, Pneumonia, and COPD. Stay connected on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ElmhurstHosp.

About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation. We are a network of 11 hospitals, trauma centers, neighborhood health centers, nursing homes, and post-acute care centers. We are a home care agency and a health plan, MetroPlus. Our health system provides essential services to more than one million New Yorkers every year in more than 70 locations across the city’s five boroughs. Our diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.