Friday, September 13, 2024
9/13/2024
The Mississippi Public Health Institute is applying for Component A under the CDC NOFO ‘Statewide Perinatal Quality Collaboratives’ (CDC-RFA-DP22-2207) to address persistent poor maternal and infant health outcomes. Mississippi has persistently held some of the poorest perinatal health outcomes in the United States. The 2020 MS infant mortality rate was 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births, significantly exceeding the US rate of 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births. This is largely driven by Mississippi’s high preterm birth rate of 14.2%, which includes a significant racial disparity of 18% preterm births among black infants and 12% for white. Maternal health indicators are equally concerning. Maternal health indicators are equally concerning. Between 2013 and 2017, the pregnancy-related mortality ratio in MS reached 33.2 deaths per 100,000 live births. The Mississippi Perinatal Quality Collaborative (MSPQC) seeks to improve these maternal and infant health outcomes by advancing evidence-based, data-driven quality improvement initiatives statewide. Established in 2014, the MSPQC is Mississippi’s first collaborative quality improvement (QI) program that has integrated the efforts of multiple stakeholders to address key drivers of poor birth outcomes. Currently, MSPQC is leading statewide initiatives to: 1) reduce severe maternal morbidity and mortality resulting from inequitable treatment of women during the birthing experience, 2) reduce severe maternal morbidity due to Severe Maternal Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease, and 3) reduce primary cesarean deliveries among low-risk mothers. Under the aforementioned announcement, MSPQC will progressively enhance its capacity to lead statewide quality improvement initiatives. The primary strategies MSPQC will use to reach its goals of reducing maternal and infant morbidity and mortality include: 1) further building and strengthening the capacity of MSPQC to improve the quality of perinatal care statewide, 2) seeking to engage all birthing facilities statewide to improve perinatal outcomes, 3) supporting facilities to implement Quality Improvement (QI) initiatives, 4) building and strengthening data systems to improve the identification and documentation of disparities, 5) engaging patients and communities in QI initiatives, and 6) building partnerships building meaningful partnerships to disseminate best practices, expand knowledge and improve care for families across the state MSPQC will work with local partners including the MS chapters ACOG, AAP, AWHONN and ACNM, the Mississippi Hospital Association, Blue Cross Blue Shield of MS, the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and community partners to implement statewide QI initiatives in both maternal and infant health. MSPQC will actively work with key national partners including AIM and the National Network of Perinatal Quality Collaboratives to execute best practices as a PQC, use proven strategies to drive change and learn from and share with other states.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
