Since 2009, NJHA has been a leader in reducing harm for mothers and babies through its Perinatal Safety Collaborative. That commitment continues in 2017, with NJHA planning a Jan. 23 launch event to introduce its latest effort under the Alliance for Innovation (AIM) on Maternal Health.
New Jersey is one of only eight states to be invited to participate in this work, due to the strength and support of its hospital executives in partnership with NJHA, the N.J. Department of Health, physician and nursing groups, maternal child consortia and the March of Dimes. That tradition of commitment and collaboration has provided the opportunity for New Jersey birthing hospitals to participate in the AIM program led by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
AIM is a national alliance to promote consistent and safe maternity care to reduce maternal mortality by 1,000 and severe maternal morbidity by 100,000 instances over the course of four years, 2014-2018. It is funded through the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau. AIM Core Partners include:
- American College of Nurse Midwives
- Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs
- Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
- Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses
- California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative
- Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
The purpose of the AIM program is to equip, empower and embolden every state, perinatal quality collaborative, hospital network/system, birth facility and maternity care provider in the United States to significantly reduce severe maternal morbidity and maternal mortality through implementation of consistent maternity care practices that are outlined in maternal safety bundles. These maternal safety bundles include action measures for:
- Obstetrical Hemorrhage
- Severe Hypertension/Preeclampsia
- Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism
- Reduction of Low-Risk Primary Cesarean Births/Support for Intended Vaginal Birth
- Reduction of Peripartum Racial Disparities, and
- Postpartum care access and standards.
A daylong kickoff meeting for this initiative is scheduled for Jan. 23 at the NJHA Conference and Event Center. The first program will focus on rapid response to obstetrical hemorrhage. Registration for this event is open now.
