Teams participating in the IHI Improving Perinatal Care Collaborative are focusing on four main areas to achieve outstanding results for patients and families:

1. Leadership
2. Reduce variation
3. Improve teamwork and communication
4. Provide care that is patient- and family-centered

In June 2009, this message was posted to the listserv for the IHI Collaborative on Improving Perinatal Care: 

In the spring of 2007, the hospitals, their key leaders, and key physicians gathered in Des Moines and established a city-wide policy for elective inductions and scheduled c-sections, agreeing that 39 weeks’ gestation is a given before an elective induction or repeat c-section is scheduled. I'm happy to report that this has been very successful. Last year in 2008, we had only four inductions scheduled less than 39 weeks out of 4,500 births at our organization. Those patient records went through peer review. Progress for sure!

Susan Gehlsen
Executive Director, Women's Services
Iowa Health — Des Moines