Applying quality improvement in public health systems for maternal and child health

In this panel, we will feature four projects of NICHQ (the National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality) and our partners. Each of these projects is applying quality improvement methods in public health systems to improve maternal and child health in four different content areas. Specifically, projects address: 1) enhancing the performance of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention programs for newborn hearing screening and follow-up in 53 states and territories nationwide, 2) breastfeeding promotion (including Baby-Friendly Designation) in hospitals across Texas, 3) facilitating the transition to patient-centered medical home for 13 pediatric practices in Massachusetts, including testing reliability and usability of 24 pediatric healthcare quality measures, and 4) promoting healthy weight in 49 communities nationwide via bringing together multi-sector teams composed of primary care, public health, and community-based representatives. All projects apply quality improvement methods and collaborative learning to make sustainable change in public health systems and communities.

We will feature theory and design, results (both qualitative and quantitative data), innovative and promising models, lessons learned and instructive failures, and recommendations for future quality improvement efforts and their applicability to similar settings or maternal and child health topic areas. The panel addresses the section's interest area of “quality improvement or performance management in public health.” (For specific details on each of the four projects, kindly see previously-submitted individual abstracts for each presentation.)