SEPTEMBER 18, 2024

Initiative helps frontline providers address perinatal mental health  

Massachusetts birthing hospitals are urged to participate in a “bundle” of best practices developed by the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health with help from obstetric leaders in Massachusetts. The bundle helps clinical teams collaborate across settings — obstetric, nursing and pediatric — to screen, assess and meet mental health needs from early pregnancy through delivery and the first postpartum year. Mental health conditions are the most common complication of pregnancy, the underlying cause of most pregnancy-related deaths and highly preventable. So far, 19 hospitals, including five that pilot-tested the bundle this summer, have joined the initiative.



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Communication and resolution programs gain momentum

A new patient safety measure from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services brings fresh attention to communication and resolution programs, which are structured approaches to helping patients that experience medical harm and learning from the events. The Betsy Lehman Center offers help implementing a tested model called Communication, Apology and Resolution, or CARe, to hospitals and practices in the state. The no-cost support includes a structured implementation framework, extensive resources, coaching and collaborative discussion sessions. Melinda Van Niel, M.B.A., Program Director for CARe, says the model has reached a “tipping point” of acceptance. “Most organizations know and accept that this is what they should do when something has gone wrong in a patient’s care.”

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Study connects good communication with reduced sense of abandonment after harm events

In the aftermath of adverse medical events, many patients feel abandoned by their providers and lose trust in the health care system altogether. Recently published in the BMJ Open Quality journal, research from the Betsy Lehman Center and co-authors at Yale University finds that enhancing patient engagement after such events has the potential to reinforce therapeutic alliances between patients and clinicians. 

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This September, be Sepsis Smart

How are you recognizing Sepsis Awareness Month? Sepsis Smart is a public awareness campaign that aims to educate people about the symptoms of sepsis and what to do when an infection is getting worse or isn’t getting better. Help spread the word by liking Sepsis Smart on Facebook and sharing graphics and materials with friends and family. Together, we can learn about sepsis and help save lives.

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Upcoming events

The Betsy Lehman Center is a Massachusetts state agency that supports providers, patients and policymakers working together to advance the safety and quality of health care.

BetsyLehmanCenterMA.gov