Nine Oklahoma hospitals recently received awards for providing excellence in perinatal care from the Oklahoma Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative. The awards were presented at the fourth annual summit of the collaborative in Oklahoma City on Sept. 29. Approximately 250 providers of maternal and infant care came together at the event to discuss continued efforts to improve outcomes for Oklahoma mothers and babies and to celebrate success from their ongoing work.
Hospitals receiving the “Spotlight Hospital Awards” were recognized for participation and sustained improvement in the areas of early elective deliveries (inducing labor and scheduling cesarean births before 39 weeks without a medical reason), education to prevent abusive head trauma (commonly known as shaken baby syndrome), modeling and promoting infant safe sleep practices, creating an environment that is supportive of best practices in maternity care and of breastfeeding, and being prepared for obstetrical emergencies (such as hemorrhage and preeclampsia) through training, guidelines and hospital resources.
Receiving hospital “Spotlight” awards were:
INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center,
Oklahoma City
INTEGRIS Canadian Valley Hospital, Yukon
INTEGRIS Health Edmond
INTEGRIS Southwest Medical Center,
Oklahoma City
Lakeside Women’s Hospital, Oklahoma City
Mercy Hospital Ardmore
St. Anthony Hospital Shawnee
St. John Medical Center, Tulsa
The Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center, Oklahoma City
In addition, Rebecca Mannel, BS, IBCLC, FILCA, director, Oklahoma Breastfeeding Resource Center, Oklahoma City, received the Warren M. Crosby Champion for Maternal and Infant Health Award for going above and beyond to display exemplary effort to improve outcomes for mothers and babies in the local community and statewide.
Terry Cline, PhD, commissioner of health and secretary of health and human services, commended the group for excellent work in maternal and infant mortality reduction programs and encouraged them to continue their efforts to improve the health of mothers and babies in Oklahoma. Event participants were encouraged to carry on this important work by implementing strategies that are proven to affect outcomes positively within their own practices as well as contributing to the statewide efforts.
Chad Smith, MD, medical director of the Oklahoma Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative, congratulated the hospitals saying, “Patient safety and quality improvement in women’s health have become top priorities nationally and for the State of Oklahoma. You have each demonstrated dedication to and excellence in improving the care of Oklahoma women and newborns. We have achieved some momentum through your efforts, and together we can continue to drive change in a positive direction.”
Partners in the Oklahoma Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative include: March of Dimes, Oklahoma City-County Health Department, Tulsa Health Department, Oklahoma Health Care Authority, Oklahoma Hospital Association, Oklahoma State Department of Health and County Health Departments, and University of Oklahoma Departments of OB/GYN and Pediatrics.
