Arkansas Perinatal Quality Collaborative Recognizes 20 Birthing Hospitals, Announces New Initiative
| LITTLE ROCK — Birthing hospitals are being recognized for their quality improvement work by The Arkansas Perinatal Quality Collaborative (ARPQC), awarding platinum or silver partner banners to 20 birthing hospitals that achieved participation milestones.
“We are extremely proud of the effort and accomplishments of the hospitals that participated in the initiative promoting vaginal birth,” said Jennifer Callaghan-Koru, Ph.D., MHS, executive director of the ARPQC and an associate professor in the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). “These banners communicate their strong commitment and accomplishments in maternal safety to their patients and communities.”
The ARPQC is a network of health care organizations and experts that come together to improve maternal health care in the state. Since it was founded in 2022, the ARPQC has completed two initiatives focused on safely reducing cesarean birth rates and preventing congenital syphilis. While the ARPQC is coordinated by UAMS, all birthing hospitals in the state have participated and contributed to achieving the ARPQC’s mission to ensure a healthy start for all mothers and babies in Arkansas.
Representatives from Mercy NWA accept their platinum banner for their accomplishments during the ARPQC’s recently completed “Safe Reduction of Primary Cesarean Birth” initiative.
This month, the ARPQC is recruiting hospitals to participate in its third initiative focused on maternal health and well-being in the postpartum period. The initiative, “Postpartum Comprehensive Assessment, Resources and Education (CARE),” will support birthing hospitals to improve education and screenings for women before they are discharged from the hospital after birth.
“Over half of maternal deaths in Arkansas occur postpartum,” said William “Sam” Greenfield, M.D., MBA, medical director for the ARPQC, chair of the Arkansas Maternal Mortality Review Committee and professor in the UAMS Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. “By proactively addressing the postpartum health needs of new moms, we can prevent deaths and hospital readmissions.”
For the Postpartum CARE initiative, the ARPQC is partnering with the new Arkansas Center for Women and Infant’s Health. Hospitals that participate will receive support with implementing best practices, such as free staff training, clinical tools and presentations from national experts. Participation in the state perinatal quality collaborative is also one of the criteria for a “birthing friendly hospital” designation from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
“I’m especially encouraged by the upcoming postpartum initiative — it will help us strengthen follow-up care, better screen and support new moms’ physical and mental health, and build the community connections that make recovery safer and more sustainable for families,” said Michelle Pimentel, director of nursing for women’s and infant’s health at Conway Regional Medical Center, which was awarded a platinum banner by ARPQC.
Hospitals that were recognized with platinum banners for their accomplishments during the ARPQC’s recently completed “Safe Reduction of Primary Cesarean Birth” initiative include:
- Arkansas Methodist Medical Center
- Baptist Health, Arkadelphia
- Baptist Health, Conway
- Baptist Health, Drew County
- Baptist Health, Fort Smith
- Baptist Health, Little Rock
- Baxter Health
- Conway Regional Health System
- Mercy Northwest Arkansas
- NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital
- St. Bernard’s Regional Medical Center
- UAMS Medical Center
- White River Medical Center
Hospitals that were recognized with silver banners include:
- Baptist Health, North Little Rock
- Baptist Health, Stuttgart
- Great River Medical Center
- Jefferson Regional Medical Center
- National Park Medical Center
- Ouachita County Medical Center
- Washington Regional Medical Center
Representatives from NEA Baptist accept their platinum banner for their accomplishments during the ARPQC’s recently completed “Safe Reduction of Primary Cesarean Birth” initiative.
“The ARPQC has been a critical factor in enabling Great River to deliver the high-quality care we have achieved,” said Leah Wooldridge, obstetrics director at Great River Medical Center in Blytheville. “Over the past year, the ARPQC has played a pivotal role in the professional growth of our staff and the OB care team. The education provided through each initiative is invaluable, as small rural hospitals often lack alternative resources. By joining the ARPQC, we have gained access to vital resources and collaborative support that have empowered us to implement meaningful changes.”
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,553 students and 902 medical residents and fellows. It is the state’s largest public employer with about 12,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.###