The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has developed the Safety Program for Perinatal Care (SPPC), a crucial initiative aimed at bolstering patient safety within labor and delivery (L&D) units. This program is designed to foster a stronger patient safety culture and significantly reduce adverse events for both mothers and newborns. These events often stem from breakdowns in communication and systemic failures within healthcare settings.
The Ahrq Safety Program For Perinatal Care is structured around three core pillars, each essential to its comprehensive approach. These pillars are:
- Teamwork and Communication Skills: Emphasizing the importance of effective communication and collaboration among healthcare teams in L&D units.
- Perinatal Safety Strategies: Implementing evidence-based strategies and best practices to directly enhance the safety of perinatal care.
- In Situ Simulation Training: Utilizing realistic simulations within the actual L&D environment to prepare teams for critical events and improve responses.
To facilitate the practical implementation of these pillars, AHRQ has created a comprehensive toolkit. This toolkit serves as a valuable resource for L&D units seeking to improve patient safety, enhance team communication, and elevate the overall quality of care provided to mothers and their newborns. The SPPC toolkit leverages the established principles of AHRQ’s Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP) and the TeamSTEPPS® teamwork system. It also incorporates key findings from AHRQ’s patient safety and medical liability initiative demonstration grants, ensuring a robust and informed approach. The flexibility of the toolkit allows for customization to align with the specific processes and procedures of individual L&D units, making it a highly adaptable resource for diverse healthcare environments.
