FEATURED
Welcome Baby Jack!
We are thrilled to announce the arrival of a new member to our extended family! Caitlin & Robby Ballard and their dog, Rosie, welcomed a beautiful baby boy! Jack was born on 9/25/2024, weighing 8 lbs, 13 oz, and 22 inches long.
Both Jack and Caitlin are doing well, and we couldn’t be happier for them. Let’s all join in congratulating the Ballard family on their wonderful addition!
Farewell Dr. Gentle!
We are very sad but also very proud to announce that Dr. Sam Gentle, our long-time Neonatal Physician Lead, has taken a position with Yale University’s School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor.
Dr. Gentle has been with the ALPQC since the beginning. He championed the Birth Certificate Accuracy Project and went on to lead the development of the Newborn Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome, NHP, and Golden Hour initiative change packages. Dr. Gentle made a point to include maternal measures in the NOWS project as a means of maintaining the dyad and empowering families in infant care.
Dr. Gentle has been an invaluable QI guide, clinical resource, and all-around great leader. We are going to miss his sense of humor and awesome skills as drummer in his band, The Kensingtons. We wish Dr. Gentle and his family the best of luck in their New England adventure! Enjoy the snow!
Welcome Dr. Ikeri!
We are pleased to announce our new Neonatal Lead, Dr. Kelechi Ikeri! Dr. Ikeri is the QI Director in the Division of Neonatology at the University of South Alabama Children & Women’s Hospital.
Dr. Ikeri is a certified improvement Coach, earning the title after completing the Institute for Health Improvement’s Professional Development Program. Dr. Ikeri’s past initiatives include developing a program using loaner breast pumps to promote equitable access to infant nutrition.
Dr. Ikeri’s past research has included improving the timeliness and quality of NICU newborn screenings, and ensuring that results are quickly returned to units to optimize care, and facilitating family-centered practices for newborns as a part of the hospital discharge process. We are so excited to have Dr. Ikeri on board to provide his QI expertise in our initiatives!
Neonatal Initiatives
Teams are making great progress on the Neonatal Hypothermia Prevention (NHP) Initiative, reducing hypothermia in newborns across the state. The Golden Hour project is also going well. Rates of delayed cord clamping (30-60 seconds) increased for babies under 1000 g, which is exciting!
Many L1 & L2 hospitals saw increases in rates of hyperthermia in the past quarter, in part due to discrepancies in axillary vs. rectal temperatures. Between July and August, this rate dramatically reduced, and we hope to continue learning more.
Most units have established or are working on developing unit policies. We have had many hospitals request examples. If your unit would be willing to share yours, please send them on over.
Obstetric Initiatives
The Obstetric Hemorrhage Initiative is maintaining steady performance, with hemorrhage risk assessments, the use of QBL techniques, and patient support after hemorrhage events remaining consistent. Notably, there has been a significant decrease in severe maternal morbidity (SMM) among patients with OBH-related diagnoses. Hospitals have reported updates to their education and protocols, and these improvements are expected to be reflected in their data in the coming months.
The postpartum bracelet pilot is progressing well, with the majority of patients indicating they plan to continue wearing the bracelets. Many have reported that the bracelets make them feel safer in the event of a medical emergency.
