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Hosting a Department of Applied Research and Evaluation at NICHQ, we are huge proponents of evaluation. The reason is simple: projects may sound compelling and seem worthwhile, but it is hard to know if they actually achieve their goals without collecting data and conducting an evaluation. Evaluation data provides a window into whether, why and…
When a patient recently delivered her second baby at Harris Health System’s Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) Hospital in Houston, she was surrounded by a team dedicated to supporting her decision to breastfeed. The support, which began in the delivery room and continued after she returned home, made a difference. “She told us that her experience with…
Native Americans have rich traditions and beliefs that often conflict with Western healthcare culture. To address disparities in infant health in this vulnerable population, experts say public health and healthcare workers need to build relationships first, then offer advice second. “Everyone can play a role addressing infant mortality with Native communities. It’s unfair to assume…
5 Ways a Physician QI Team Leader Helps Foster Change More Quickly When Juliana Oppong delivered her baby, she didn’t have time to think about breastfeeding. Born very premature, Juliana’s daughter spent more than a month in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Too young to properly latch, Juliana thought formula was the only option—until…
You are nearing the end of an 18-month long learning collaborative in which your team made a lot of changes at your facility. You have new processes and renewed energy—and it shows in the data you are collecting. Now, in just a few weeks, the learning collaborative will officially end, along with the dedicated resources…
The growing trend of increasing capacity and timeliness of collecting surveillance data (such as birth and death records used by epidemiologists) is opening up opportunities for these rich data sources to be used for quality improvement (QI) efforts. In the Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network to Reduce Infant Mortality (Infant Mortality CoIIN), states are working…
It is not exactly cold hard cash, but don’t poo poo it. Free diapers are enough of an incentive to encourage pregnant women to quit smoking and stay quit. Free diaper vouchers are a central component of the Baby & Me Tobacco Free program. The national smoking cessation program, which partners with local agencies, works…
A cross between a focus group and an improvement team, a patient and family advisory council (PFAC) is an effective way for a healthcare facility—be it a primary care practice or a hospital—to engage customers in improving the quality of care provided. The PFAC platform enables providers and patients to work side-by-side to discuss and…
Educating mothers about the benefits of breastfeeding before they enter the hospital increases the likelihood mothers will choose the beneficial feeding method. However, building bridges between care providers, community groups and hospitals can be surprisingly difficult. “Providing and reinforcing messages from prenatal through delivery and postpartum is essential to making sure mothers understand the critical…
In my role as Mother Chair for the New York State Breastfeeding Quality Improvement in Hospitals (BQIH) Collaborative, it has been my privilege to help participating hospital teams connect with and utilize their local parent partners. At times, however, hospital teams struggle with the why’s (why is this role important) and how’s (how can a parent,…