On May 1, GNYHA participated in a Department of Health (DOH) symposium aimed at improving maternal outcomes in New York State. The symposium, led by New York State Health Commissioner Richard Daines, M.D., and John Morley, M.D., Medical Director, Office for Health Systems Management, created a forum for experts from across New York State and around the country to discuss their experiences and perspectives on improving quality and safety of care for obstetrical patients. 

GNYHA staff presented on the Perinatal Safety Collaborative, one of several projects jointly conducted by GNYHA and the United Hospital Fund (UHF) that follows the “collaborative approach” to providing patient-centered care. In the presentation, GNYHA staff noted that the true value of the collaborative model is the opportunity for hospitals to share experiences and best practices, highlighting the intensive training and teamwork necessary to promote and sustain improvements. GNYHA staff also detailed the progress made by the 33 hospitals participating in the Perinatal Safety Collaborative, including assessing the culture of safety within their organizations, team training and education in electronic fetal monitoring strip interpretation, and implementation of standardized communication strategies.

Commissioner Daines expressed his support for the GNYHA/UHF Perinatal Safety Collaborative, explaining to the symposium participants—who included representatives from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, District II/New York, HANYS, DOH, and leaders in obstetrical practice—that GNYHA has demonstrated that the collaborative approach can lead to sustainable improvements in patient care. Promoting this approach, GNYHA continues to invite hospitals from across New York State to join the Perinatal Safety Collaborative, using it as a framework to support an individual hospital’s existing perinatal safety improvement efforts.