SJBiz_CloseOfBiz_5_19_CloseOfBiz 5 / 20 / 19 12 : 34 PM Page 1 CLOSE OF BIZ To Tackle Health Inequities , Start at the Beginning [ By Cathleen Bennett , president and CEO , New Jersey Hospital Association ] “ captain of the team ” in health decision - making . ew Jersey is one of the most diverse states in the nation — At a roundtable earlier this year convened by First Lady Tammy we embrace that title and celebrate it proudly . It’s also why Murphy — who is championing these issues — a new mom expressed New Jersey’s hospitals , state lawmakers , the Murphy N her frustration at the feeling that her wishes and her voice were not Administration and health care providers are so concerned about being heard . That is unacceptable . A patient’s engagement in her health disparities for new moms and babies . own care is a proven way to improve clinical outcomes and reduce In New Jersey , pregnancy - related deaths occur in 37 of every health care disparities , and it is at the forefront of NJPQC’s work . 100,000 live births . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Another way NJPQC members are putting health equity as a pri - defines a maternal death as any that occurs within one year of the end ority in its quality improvement work is incorporating racial and ethnic of a pregnancy , no matter the outcome or duration of the pregnancy . data into reporting . We can’t have the right discussions about how For black mothers , the rate is reported to be four to five times higher . to improve care if we don’t know when and where we are facing bar - Although New Jersey has the eighth lowest infant mortality rate riers . We know through research by the Center for Health Analytics , in the United States ( 4.5 per 1,000 live births in 2017 ) and the sev - Research and Transformation at NJHA that in New Jersey , high blood enth lowest black infant mortality rate ( 9.7 per 1,000 ) according to pressure disproportionately affects low - income and black popula - the CDC , we must remain vigilant and focused on further reducing tions . By including racial and ethnic data into our work reducing infant mortality and eliminating the disparity that impacts black infants . preeclampsia , we can talk about why it’s happening and targeting To tackle these health inequities — and so many others — we need interventions . to start at the beginning . Having a baby isn’t two days in the hospital , or nine months We know hospitals only see moms for a short period of time that of gestation — the entire process is two years of focused , coordi - affects a mother’s and baby’s health outcomes . We are working to nated care . We can’t do it alone , and our political leaders can’t do partner with community organizations and elected officials to it alone . We need New Jersey’s rich diversity to come together as better help families from preconception to prenatal care to delivery one state , for one goal : getting moms and babies to the first birthday and follow - up care straight through to the milestone first birthday . w every time . NJHA’s Perinatal Quality Collaborative ( NJPQC ) has one goal : giving every mom and every baby the healthiest start possible . NJPQC is one of 13 CDC - funded Perinatal Quality Collaboratives in the nation . Every birthing hospital in the state is engaged with NJPQC to improve care for moms and babies and to involve patients , families and com - munity - based organizations in our efforts to make New Jersey the safest place to give birth . Hospitals that are engaged with NJPQC are focusing on three challenges that mostly occur during the small window during a preg - nancy that a mom is at the hospital for delivery : reducing severe hem - orrhage , reducing complications from high blood pressure — called hypertension or preeclampsia — and reducing the number of unnec - essary cesarean sections for low - risk , first - time moms , referred to as NTSV pregnancies . Throughout these clinical quality improvement projects , our mem - bers are incorporating best - practices to reduce racial and ethnic dis - parities . One of the most important ways is by making each mom the 56 | SOUTH JERSEY BIZ | VOLUME 9 ISSUE 5 | SouthJerseyBiz.net