Premier Teleconference to Discuss Risk, Safety and the Improvement of Outcomes in Obstetrics; Event to Focus on Documented Results from Partnership with The Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Ascension Health.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Premier Inc. healthcare alliance will host a national teleconference on Wednesday, August 30, from 2-3 p.m. EST, entitled "Improving Outcomes in the Obstetrics Suite: Risk and Safety Implications." The teleconference will focus on findings from the Premier/Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Perinatal Innovation Workgroup, a collaboration between IHI, Ascension Health, Premier and its member hospitals.

According to industry research, the following five recurring clinical issues are responsible for majority of perinatal harm and associated obstetrical professional liability:

--Failure to recognize fetal distress/non-reassuring fetal status

--Failure to effect a timely Cesarean birth

--Failure to properly resuscitate a depressed baby

--Inappropriate use of Oxytocin/Cytotec

--Inappropriate use of vacuum/forceps

Perinatal Innovation Workgroup research suggests that Perinatal Care Bundles should be used during the decision to electively induce labor and for managing labor that isn't progressing. Measures included in these bundles are determining fetal age, monitoring the fetal heart rate and assessing the readiness of the mother's cervix. While hospitals have long followed such practices to improve outcomes in childbirth, results of the project suggest that the key is consistently using all the practices in concert.

"The ultimate goal of this project is to reduce harm to infants in the delivery process by creating a reliable care environment where the right care is delivered every time," said Kathy Connolly, R.N., M.S. Ed., CPHRM, assistant VP of Risk Management for Premier's Insurance Management Services. "Though it is in the early stages of testing, early indications show a clear reduction in negative outcomes as compliance to best practice standards have increased."

"The work that this group has done thus far has made significant headway in improving care in labor and delivery, but we are continuing to work with Premier and its membership to evaluate our progress and assure that results are measurable and sustainable," said Sue Leavitt Gullo, M.S., R.N., a director of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI).

Participants in the teleconference are:

--Cathy Ivory, R.N.C., M.S.N., clinical nurse specialist at Women's Health Mountain States Health Alliance;

--Dr. Frank Mazza, CMO, Seton Medical Center;

--IHI's Leavitt Gullo; and

--Premier's Connolly.

Premier, IHI and Ascension Health have also collaborated on a white paper entitled Idealized Design of Perinatal Care. To access the white paper, please visit: www.premierinc.com/insurance.

Premier's Advisor Live is a free monthly teleconference series providing information and discussion on important quality improvement and supply chain topics. To register, obtain additional information or access past audio recordings, visit www.premierinc.com/advisorlive or contact the Premier Solution Center at 800.805.4608.

About the speakers

Sue Leavitt Gullo, M.S., R.N., is a director with the IHI and is currently involved with the Impact Communities for Perinatal Care and Operational and Clinical Improvement of the Emergency Department. Sue has been involved with IHI since 1995 when she joined the Breakthrough Series Collaborative to Reduce Cesarean Sections as a Team Participant. She has experience as a clinical nurse and nurse manager. Before joining IHI, Sue was the Director for the Maternity Center and Labor and Delivery, Childbirth and Parenting, and Lactations Consultant Services at Elliot Hospital in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Cathy Ivory, R.N.C., M.S.N., is the Women's Services clinical nurse specialist for the Mountain States Health Alliance, based in Johnson City, TN. Previously, Cathy was involved in high-risk pregnancy nursing practice in Atlanta. She holds certifications in inpatient obstetrics and nursing informatics and is the newly elected Section Chair for Tennessee AWHONN.

Dr. Frank Mazza, CMO, is a board certified pulmonary intensivist and currently serves as vice-president of Medical Affairs at Seton Medical Center, the largest unit in the Seton family of hospitals, in Austin, Texas. He is the executive leader of the Perinatal Safety Work Group for the Seton Network, one of three alpha sites in the Ascension Health national system for work intended to be transformational in this area.

Kathy Connolly, R.N., M.S.Ed. CPHRM, is assistant vice president of Risk Management with Premier Inc. Insurance Management Services. Kathy joined Premier in 2001 and has over 16 years of experience in healthcare risk management. She provides risk management consulting services to members of Premier's excess risk retention program AEIX. Ms. Connolly is currently a faculty member of the IHI Perinatal Care IMPACT Community and was part of the Premier Ascension Health and IHI Perinatal Innovation Community project.

About Premier Inc.

A healthcare alliance entirely owned by more than 200 of the nation's leading not-for-profit hospitals and healthcare systems, Premier Inc. helps hospitals accelerate both clinical and financial performance. Premier's shareholders operate or are affiliated with 1,500 hospitals and more than 41,000 other healthcare sites. Premier's members and clients benefit from group purchasing and supply chain services, clinical and operational performance measurement, benchmarking and insurance programs. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, Premier has offices in Charlotte, NC, and Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.premierinc.com.