Ohio hospitals show success with reducing early elective births

A report released last month by the Leapfrog Group found that Ohio has the lowest average rate of early elective births among hospitals that chose to report data (Source: “Some Progress On Curbing Early Elective Deliveries,” Wall Street Journal Health Blog, Jan. 25, 2012).

According to the report from Leapfrog, which is a coalition of public and private purchasers, hospitals nationwide are making progress at reducing the number of elective births that are taking place before 39 weeks, but there is a wide variation among hospitals, from less than 5 percent at some to over 40 percent at others.

Studies from groups such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and the March of Dimes have all concluded that a baby needs at least 39 weeks to fully develop and early births should only be considered for rare medical conditions.
Ohio’s average rate of 7.6 percent among hospitals reporting was the lowest in the country. Alabama had the highest average rate at 22.5%.

The Leapfrog report is the latest evidence that Ohio is a leader in reducing early births. A 2010 study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynocolgy found that the Ohio Perinatial Quality Collaborative (OPQC) Scheduled Birth Initiative reduced elective early births from about 15 percent to between 2 and 3 percent.  OPQC is a statewide multistakholder network whose member hospitals care for nearly half of all births in the state.

"We are making a difference in the lives of women and newborns," said Lisa Kaiser, Central Market Director for Health Action Council Ohio, a coalition of Ohio-based purchasers. "Our efforts are drawing state and national attention, including notice in Employee Benefits News and the Wall Street Journal."

However, Kaiser also points out that there remains room for improvement in Ohio.

“We have the lowest average rate in Ohio, but averages are exactly that: We have some hospitals that are doing all the right things and have … close to 0% of elective deliveries being allowed early, and some with rates that approach the highest that Leapfrog recorded,” she said.