How are we engaging for pregnancy and newborn care?

ROYAL COLUMBIAN & EAGLE RIDGE HOSPITAL (RCH): One-stop shop 'baby hippy clinic' improves outcomes for infants with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH)

• Increased awareness of DDH among clinicians and parents by engaging multidisciplinary teams.
• Created a standardized referral pathway for at-risk newborns and established a one-stop Baby Hippy Clinic with ultrasound, orthotics, and resources.
• Reduced missed ultrasound rates at RCH from 24% in 2017 to 1.6% in 2020.
• Became an official program supported by Fraser Health with a full-time paediatric orthopaedic surgeon. Learn more >
   

CAMPBELL RIVER: Maternity Clinic doctors engage providers to use a simple medical intervention with at-risk patients to prevent pre-term births

• FE project leads determined how to identify at-risk patients, assess and treat those in pre-term labour, and manage cases leading to pre-term births in non-specialized facilities.
• They found vaginal progesterone therapy was a key aspect of prevention and a simple intervention.
• A pathway was created, education events organized, and resources developed for health care providers, leading to a significant decrease in preterm births at the maternity clinic. Learn more >

ROYAL INLAND: C-Section Management Working Group explores factors contributing to high C-section rate

• The goal is to optimize C-section timing in pregnancy and proactively identify issues, such as booked times for urgent elective C-sections.
• Successfully separated elective C-section from Obstetrics and Gynecology surgical slate, leading to appropriate booking of C-section times, aligned optimal clinical delivery time, and minimized disruptions to the gynecology surgical slate and un-booked surgical time.

SOUTH ISLAND: Peer-facilitated group support for postpartum depression and anxiety builds support for integrated services 

• Scores for support steadily improved over the program, and EPDS (Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale) scores improved by over 50% from the beginning to the end of the program.
• Project team engaged across disciplinary boundaries, including perinatal psychiatry, midwifery, family physicians, OB/GYNs, and public health. Learn more >

COMOX: Maternity/Pediatrics Working Group leads to measurable decrease in maternity diversions despite reduced pediatrician availability

• Working Group brought together 8 obstetricians and family physician-obstetricians, 3 pediatricians, and 9 registered midwives.
• The group worked to develop protocols, identify risk stratification approaches for moderate-risk term pregnancies, and explore pathways for registered midwives to join the neonatal call roster.  

CRESTON: Maple Maternity Clinic celebrates five years since integrating maternity services at the hospital

• Clinic emerged through four family physicians with a focus on low-risk maternity integrating their services with public health nurses.
• Physicians, nurses, health authority administrators, and community staff transitioned maternity care from two separate clinics into a centralized, comprehensive hospital unit—offering prenatal, delivery, postpartum, and newborns care close to home. 
• Clinic has hired a full-time maternity nurse, a part-time social worker, and a mental health worker with local Primary Care Network support. Learn more >

LIONS GATE HOSPITAL: Perinatal Quality & Safety Committee meeting 

• Physicians supported to attend the multi-disciplinary Perinatal Care Committee made up of providers from pediatrics, family practice, obstetrics, midwifery, nursing, and community health. 
• Outcomes include a breastfeeding program for the North Shore, education on substance use among perinatal patients, cardiac monitors for newborn resuscitation, guidelines for postpartum hemorrhage and hypertension, and improved communication about discharge status between postpartum and community nursing.

LANGLEY MEMORIAL: Obstetrics workshop and simulations support newer clinical leaders

• The quality improvement subcommittee fosters an interdisciplinary learning environment for family physicians, midwives, and specialists, promoting collaboration and confidence in managing complex maternal care.
• Weekly Grand Rounds encourages peer-to-peer learning and clinical excellence.

SECHELT: Medical staff supported to attend training on improving maternal/infant transfer

• Attendees trained on what to do when a serious maternal care case requires the maternal/infant to be transported, leading to two trained OB staff at Sechelt with enhanced patient transfer skills and the ability to aid in further staff training. 

PEACE ARCH: Plans to establish comprehensive mentorship for incoming physicians

• Project aims to support the onboarding experience and promote seamless integration into the hospital environment, and provide mentorship for 2-4 new recruits per year through individual and/or group meetings two to three times a year.