Meet our Physician Champions – Spotlight on Joan Meek
Meet our Physician Champions: Spotlight on Joan Meek
Joan Younger Meek, MD, MS, RD, FAAP, FABM, IBCLC earned her B.S., M.S. (Clinical Nutrition), and M.D. Degrees from the University of Kentucky. She was elected to both Phi Beta Kappa and the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. She completed pediatric residency training at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Meek is a board certified pediatrician, a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, a Fellow of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, a registered dietitian, and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Dr. Meek is currently the Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education at the Florida State University College of Medicine, where she is a professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences. She previously served as the program director for the Pediatric Residency Program at Orlando Health/Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. In addition, she has directed the newborn nursery rotation, the pediatric outpatient center, the general academic pediatric division, and the pediatric clerkship for medical students from the FSU College of Medicine. Dr. Meek is the Chair of the United States Breastfeeding Committee, Past President of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, and a founding member and Past President of the Florida Breastfeeding Coalition. She developed and serves as the Program Chair for the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Course “What Every Physician Needs to Know about Breastfeeding.” Dr. Meek was the education chair for the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Breastfeeding before being elected to its Executive Committee. She currently chairs the AAP Section on Breastfeeding. She previously served as a Chapter Breastfeeding Coordinator for the State of Florida. Dr. Meek is the editor-in-chief of the American Academy of Pediatrics New Mother’s Guide to Breastfeeding (2002, Revised Second Edition 2011) and a contributor to the AAP/ACOG Breastfeeding Handbook for Physicians. She previously served as a Founding Board Member of the Mother’s Milk Bank of Florida and previously served on the Board of the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners. She has given multiple presentations and media appearances on breastfeeding. She is passionate about implementing maternal and child health practices which support breastfeeding and impact the health and well-being of children and families.
Bentonville’s culture consists of the charming characteristics of a Southern city and small town, combined with influences from the Northwest Arkansas metropolitan area and a status as a global business hub. Bentonville is located in one of the fastest growing regions in the country, and in the past 20 years, it has transformed from a small town to a bustling center of commerce and entrepreneurialism. According to a recent US Census survey, Bentonville and surrounding communities in Benton County are second in growth for Arkansas and among the 100 fastest-growing counties in the United States. While the Northwest Arkansas economy was historically based upon agriculture and poultry, in recent decades, there has been rapid growth and diversification of its economy and culture due to the three Fortune 500 companies based in the area: Walmart, Tyson Foods, and J.B. Hunt. Both economic growth and wide cultural diversity can be attributed to over 1,250 Walmart suppliers that have established sales offices in the region. These satellite offices for companies of almost every industry mean that a large number of transplants from around the United States and the world can be found in Bentonville.
Within this evolving environment, Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville remains committed to providing exceptional care to the community. To achieve their goals to improve maternal-neonatal health and wellness, this comprehensive care facility applied and was accepted into the EMPower Breastfeeding initiative while in the D1 Discovery Phase of Baby-Friendly USA’s 4-D Pathway. The hospital has gained support in adopting the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding as they have progressed along the journey to Baby-Friendly designation. Since joining the EMPower initiative, Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville has benefitted from the individualized coaching and technical assistance offered, in areas such as adherence to the Ten Steps. One of their most noteworthy accomplishments involves Step 4, helping mothers initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth. By honoring the golden hour in implementation of skin-to-skin, the number of infants that were once “slow to transition” and required “extended monitoring” and “oxygen support” has significantly decreased to the point that it is rare to see an infant fit into those categories! The facility’s EMPower Breastfeeding Coach, Julia Bourg, remarked, “This team worked hard to ensure that foundational steps were in place as they worked towards implementation of other practice changes.”
This facility is close to Baby-Friendly USA designation! They recently had their site visit assessment from the Baby-Friendly representatives and are awaiting the results. Allison Godwin, the facility’s Quality Improvement Coach, noted, “What we appreciated most about this team is their attention to creating sustainable change. They really wanted to make sure that their staff and their organizational culture supported these efforts.” We applaud your wonderful work, Bentonville!
