Maryland PQC: reducing severe maternal mortality due to obstetric hemorrhage - the maryland department of health (MDH) has selected health quality innovators (HQI), its contractor for the maryland…

Maryland PQC: reducing severe maternal mortality due to obstetric hemorrhage - the maryland department of health (MDH) has selected health quality innovators (HQI), its contractor for the maryland perinatal neonatal quality collaborative (MDPQC), to apply for component a funding to support a quality improvement project on harmful blood loss resulting from childbirth (obstetric hemorrhage). HQI will engage the state's 32 birthing hospitals in this work to address maryland's leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths and serious complications (called "severe maternal morbidity.") HQI will help hospitals implement the alliance for maternal health innovation (aim) obstetric hemorrhage patient safety bundle, which includes such actions as performing a hemorrhage risk assessment and recording blood loss for every birthing person. The aim data center will support data collection and analysis, which includes providing hospitals with reports that show whether there are differences between the asian, non-hispanic black, non-hispanic white and hispanic populations in the number of people who are assessed for bleeding risk and have their blood loss measured. HQI will help hospitals close these gaps in care, which are expected to address the differences in maternal death and complication rates associated with harmful blood loss. Additionally, to reduce the heavy burden of obstetric hemorrhage on the non-hispanic black population, HQI will provide a six-part training webinar on respectful care to both inpatient and outpatient providers (hospitals, obstetric practices, federally qualified health centers, doulas) and help them implement the association of women's health, obstetric and neonatal nurses' respectful maternity care toolkit. Hospitals, outpatient providers and community groups that advocate for maternal health, particularly for black women, will align their efforts through four regional affinity groups that focus on obstetric hemorrhage and respectful care through the lens of local needs and opportunities. Additi onally, we will strengthen MDPQC's capacity to improve care for birthing people and newborns by establishing a patient and family advisory council (PFAC) to provide input to project planning, implementation and evaluation.