AHA Op-Ed: Hospitals Working to Improve Maternal Health

Hospitals are working to improve care for all, including maternal health, AHA senior vice president and chief medical officer Jay Bhatt, D.O., writes in an op-ed piece posted by USA TODAY. “While the AHA is not a clinical or accrediting organization, through its affiliate, the Health Research & Educational Trust, the AHA provides hospitals and health systems with education, tools, resources and technical assistance on key issues, including maternal health,” Bhatt notes. “This includes research and tool kits on topics such as reducing early-elective deliveries, obstetric hemorrhage and preeclampsia. It’s important to note that federal quality data cited by USA TODAY in its article on maternal mortality is a result of ongoing, voluntary efforts to help share best practices and improve care across the field. The AHA also is an active partner in the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM), a national maternal safety and quality improvement initiative based on proven approaches to improving safety and outcomes. Through these collaborative efforts and the continued commitment of hospitals across the country, some adverse obstetric-related events are decreasing. These national-level collaborations have had significant impact, such as a nearly 65% drop in early-elective deliveries from 2010 to 2013. But more work remains.”