Tennessee
About the Team
The Tennessee team seeks to reduce health disparities in perinatal mortality and morbidity rates among Black perinatal patients.
The Tennessee Team is made up of:
Identifying and Diagnosing the Problem
The team analyzed UHC claims data to understand disparities in perinatal health outcomes, risk factors, (e.g., hypertension, other forms of heart disease, tobacco use, and drug use) and social determinants of health (e.g., transportation, family support, access to prenatal care, among other social needs and assets).
The team focused their efforts on a pilot project within Shelby County, at a hospital that serves predominately Black perinatal patients and has one of the highest rates of high-risk pregnancies and the least amount of maternal fetal medicine specialists.
Designing and Implementing Change
The TN team is pursuing multiple strategies to reduce the health disparities including:
- A remote patient monitoring program to increase access to perinatal care.
- Bolstering a case management program to engage case managers in high-risk pregnancies earlier in a person’s pregnancy.
- A provider stimulation training to improve recognizing and appropriately intervening on high-risk pregnancies.
Lessons Learned
Uncovering the causes of a health disparity is critical. Sometimes, the root cause analysis reveals a potentially overwhelming and complex array of factors. Yet, teams also must determine how to identify which solutions are feasible and a priority to address, lest they run the risk of becoming stuck in analysis paralysis.