Advancing Healthy People 2030: Promoting Safe Vaginal Deliveries
In early 2023, 35 hospitals throughout the state, including Hardin Medical Center, partnered with the Tennessee Initiative for Perinatal Quality Care (TIPQC) to decrease the cesarean rate to 23.6% in the birthing population presenting with nulliparous, term, singleton and vertex (NTSV) pregnancies to align with the Healthy People Goal of 2030. Cesarean deliveries are among the most popular surgeries in the United States despite being associated with an increased risk of hemorrhage, infection, uterine rupture, and longer recovery time. After more than 18 months of hard work, the Promotion of Vaginal Delivery project moved into sustainment in September 2024.
Hardin Medical Center was the only hospital out of 35 participants to achieve the prestigious Platinum QI rating, which consisted of active project participation, including huddles and coaching calls, monthly outcome and structure data capture, data-driven QI work, clinical change implementation, and reaching the state goal of <23.6% NTSV cesarean delivery rate and <23.6% NTSV cesarean delivery rate after induction of labor for at least 2 of the previous 6 months.
Decreasing cesarean rates takes strong leadership, coordinated PDSA cycles, and collaboration. Throughout these past 18+ months, teams worked relentlessly to reduce the number of unnecessary cesareans and improve care for Tennessee moms and babies.
“Reducing cesarean birth rates is about more than numbers—it's about prioritizing the health and well-being of mothers and babies, fostering safer deliveries, and empowering families with informed choices for the future. We are honored to be part of such an important initiative,” said Jane Anna Cumming, Director of the Women’s Center at HMC.
For more information on this initiative, visit: https://tipqc.org/project-promotion-of-safe-vaginal-deliveries/
