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The workshop delved into perinatal quality improvement strategies and techniques for doctors, nurses, midwives and doulas.
Image by Andrew Vogler
UAMS Hosts Annual Perinatal Quality Workshop
| Maternal and neonatal health care providers from across the state gathered at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock for the annual Perinatal Outcomes Workgroup Through Education and Research (POWER) Workshop.
The day-long program, hosted by the UAMS Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Arkansas Perinatal Quality Collaborative (ARPQC), delved into perinatal quality improvement strategies and techniques for doctors, nurses, midwives and doulas.
Health providers from across the state had informational booths at the day-long event.Andrew Vogler
“There is currently a lot of synergy around maternal and neonatal health issues, and we are seeing this interest first-hand from the growth of this workshop,” said Dawn Brown, MSN, clinical program director of IDHI High-Risk Pregnancy Program POWER team. “We are confident that those who attended the workshop came away with a deeper perspective regarding health care delivery as it relates to the patients they serve.”
POWER is a collaborative partner of the ARPQC that supports maternal safety bundle implementation through quality improvement coaching for participating hospitals. The group offers educational classes on safe, evidence-based patient care. The program is currently working to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes by supporting maternal safety bundle implementation in all 33 delivering hospitals.
Hosted in the I. Dodd Wilson Education Building, the workshop comes at a fitting time as maternal health concerns issues have been identified as one of Arkansas’ most pressing issues. William “Sam” Greenfield, M.D., MBA, medical director of Family Health with the Arkansas Department of Health and professor in the UAMS Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, opened the workshop by providing the “State of Arkansas Maternal Health Address.”
“Over the last few years, there has been transformational action in the state regarding maternal health outcomes, and everyone one in this room has played a part in this progress,” said Greenfield. “Most notably, much of the momentum has come from legislative action at the state and federal level, driven by the vital collaboration between clinical experts and government officials.”
William “Sam” Greenfield, M.D., MBA, provided the “State of Arkansas Maternal Health Address.”Andrew Vogler
This year’s keynote speakers included Michele Kulhanek, MSN, system perinatal safety officer with PeaceHealth, and Krista Langston, MBA, executive director of community programs at the UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation.
The workshop also included breakout sessions that explored delivery best practices, patient engagement, newborn screening, maternal health policy and doula care.
The UAMS Institute for Digital Health & Innovation oversees the UAMS e-Link Network, UAMS HealthNow virtual care, the Stroke Program and the adult Sickle Cell Program. The institute has five maternal and neonatal initiatives as well as five trauma programs and also offers language interpreter services and educational resources for patients and providers.
POWER is a collaborative partner of the ARPQC that supports maternal safety bundle implementation through quality improvement coaching for participating hospitals.Andrew Vogler
ARPQC is a state-based network of health care facilities and teams, policymakers, patients and experts that work together to improve the quality of maternal health care in Arkansas. Founded in 2022, the ARPQC supports participating hospitals in implementing data-driven, evidence-based practices to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes, guided by quality improvement methods and implementation science. As a learning collaborative, facilities participating in the ARPQC share their experiences to accelerate learning and widespread implementation of best practices.
“An important aspect of this workshop that we hope the attendees take away with them is the understanding that they are not alone — through POWER and ARPQC, there are many resources available to them that can improve their practice and understanding of maternal and neonatal health care delivery,” said Brown. “Through this support network, we can make Arkansas a better place for families.”