Communication, Team Stability Key To Improving Postpartum Hemorrhage Outcomes

Postpartum hemorrhage is one of the leading causes of preventable maternal death in the United States, where the rates are double those in other high-income countries.

These deaths may be prevented by improved safety culture within delivery rooms, which focuses on things like communication and teamwork in the event of a postpartum hemorrhage, according to a recent study published in the journal healthcare.

“Seventy percent of maternal deaths that are due to hemorrhage are preventable, which is one of the highest rates of preventability in all of those maternal morbidity mortalities,” lead author Abigail Wooldridge, assistant professor of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering at The University of Illinois, said in an interview with Managed Healthcare Executive. “Having enough people to respond and activate a hemorrhage protocol is really important.”

Abigail Wooldridge

Wooldridge said that having a team with regular experience working together is also important because they can better anticipate the needs of one another during the hemorrhage. She is currently working on a study to develop technologies and strategies that can help support teams that struggle with stability.