Teams participating in IHI's IMPACT Learning and Innovation Community on Improving Perinatal Care are focusing on three main areas to achieve outstanding results for patients and families:
1. Improving the Safety, Effectiveness, and Reliability of Care
A high functioning team is one that is able to adapt to changing situations, learn from mistakes, respect contributions from all members, and communicate effectively and respectfully in all situations. Reliable processes are used to evaluate and manage labor and delivery based on the principles of a safe system: prevention, detection, and mitigation.
Teams will examine and develop processes that help create a culture of patient safety, and that clinicians believe are important in contributing to good care for both the mother and the fetus. Teams will also implement bundles focused on improving the delivery of perinatal care.
2. Focusing on Patient-Centeredness
Ensuring that mother (and family) have all the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about care, and that they are the source of control in the birth process is a key principle. Teams will focus on communications between the patient (and her partner) and the care team that honor patient preferences and emphasize the safety of both mother and baby.
3. Ensuring a Timely and Efficient System
Teams will apply principles of a high reliability organization and will focus on developing processes to improve handoffs in care. The goal is to ensure that a stabilized mother and baby are handed off to an informed and ready patient care unit.
