Michigan Organizations Work Together to Improve Maternal Health
Hospitals in Michigan are currently participating in two statewide initiatives — the Michigan Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (MI AIM) and the Obstetrics Initiative (OBI) — to address disparities and reduce the risk of maternal death.
In 2016, the MHA Keystone Center announced a strategic partnership with the MI AIM to bring together resources to help reduce morbidity and mortality for moms and babies across the state. Under the partnership the MHA Keystone: Obstetrics (OB) collaborative unite with MI AIM to work as a single quality improvement initiative for all Michigan birthing hospitals.
This partnership strives to decrease maternal mortality and morbidity in Michigan by working with birthing hospitals to implement the AIM Obstetric Hemorrhage and Severe Hypertension in Pregnancy safety bundles. These bundles help improve health outcomes for mothers by combating the leading causes of preventable maternal mortality. Safety bundles help equip hospitals with influential protocols, necessary equipment, employee education and employee drills to prevent and adequately treat severe maternal events.
Between 2014 and 2017 in Michigan, efforts of the MI AIM decreased:
- Severe maternal morbidity by 10.5%.
- Complications from hemorrhage by 19.6%.
- Maternal hypertension complications by 19%.
In addition to serving as a partner organization in MI AIM, the MHA Keystone Center supports the effort by collecting process and outcome data from Michigan birthing hospitals. There are currently 48 Michigan hospitals actively engaged in the initiative.
OBI is a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan-funded interdisciplinary quality initiative that engages maternity care providers and hospitals in a collaborative effort to safely reduce the use of primary cesarean deliveries for low-risk pregnancies in Michigan hospitals.
Members with questions may contact the MHA Keystone Center.