We want to support you in creating meaningful change
“Ultimately, the secret of quality is love… If you have love, you can then work backward to monitor and improve the system.”
- Dr. Avedis Donabedian
We want to thank you and your hospital for your interest and willingness to participate in a quality improvement collaborative designed to provide safe, equitable and outstanding maternity care for all. Maternal HealthCARE, a partnership between March of Dimes and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is offering you and your team guidance on implementing patient-centered, respectful communication practices that advance equity.
During the course of this initiative, your team will learn and apply proven methods for accurately collecting patient-reported race and ethnicity data, implementing respectful care practices for centering patients in decision-making during the birth experience, and utilizing race and ethnicity quality data to improve birth equity. You will be supported by quality improvement experts from across the country and engage in collaborative learning opportunities as well.
Key Components of the Initiative
creatING A CULTURE OF EQUITY
With the assistance of the Maternal HealthCARE team and recommendations from the Black Maternal Health Stakeholder Group, each organization will form an antiracism workgroup to implement key measures including review of antiracist structures and processes related to the birthing person.
Utilization of patient-reported race and ethnicity DATA to improve birth equity
According to the Institute for Health Care Improvement (IHI), one of the largest barriers for achieving health equity is inconsistent collection of equity-related data. Maternal HealthCARE will assist in the development and implementation of a process to collect accurate patient reported race and ethnicity data. Utilization of that data to review quality outcomes, including low-risk cesarean birth rates and severe maternal morbidity, will identify disparities and highlight opportunities for improvement.
Centering the patient in decision-making
Stakeholders and expert consultants recommend leveling the playing field in childbirth to place the birthing person at the center of shared communication in a respectful environment. Maternal HealthCARE will provide training and coaching on the implementation of TeamBirth, developed by Ariadne Labs at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. This program will assist in accomplishing these goals in tandem with proven methods for reducing low-risk cesarean births to create a safe, supportive hospital culture. Learn more about TeamBirth
Creating accountability to communities
Providing meaningful community engagement was a key recommendation from the Black Maternal Health Stakeholder Group to solicit feedback on hospital progress on QI initiatives. Maternal HealthCARE will coordinate the formation of Community Accountability Panels (CAPs), a novel model for providing feedback directly to hospital teams from patients, families, and community members. Hospitals will be provided with recommendations from the CAP on areas for improvement in outcomes for Black birthing people from the patient perspective.
Getting involved
Supported by generous funding from United Healthcare Community & State, Maternal HealthCARE will launch a quality improvement pilot with a small collaborative. Hospitals will receive additional information about Maternal HealthCARE via email after submitting the form below.