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Hospital Watch


Ensuring Excellence in

Maternity Care



Montgomery PA County
DALL·E 2023-12-27 15.30.43 - Create an image representing the Hospital Watch initiative. T

Hospital Watch:  
Montgomery County 

Our Vision: Transforming Maternal Healthcare

Hospital Watch is dedicated to transforming the American healthcare system, particularly in the realm of maternal care. Our vision is to foster an environment where every mother and child receives high-quality, safe, and respectful care throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. We strive to make maternal healthcare a priority, ensuring that all stakeholders—patients, healthcare providers, hospital administrators, community members, and policymakers—work together to create the best possible outcomes.

A Collective Mission for Quality Maternal Care

Our mission is simple yet profound: to make sure that maternal healthcare is equitable, safe, and effective for everyone. To do this, we need a collective effort that involves collaboration between all parties—from doctors and nurses to hospital boards, community advocates, and government bodies. The question we seek to answer is: How can we, as a society, ensure that hospitals deliver the highest standard of care to every expecting mother?

 

Our Strategy: Reframing the Healthcare Dialogue

The conversation around healthcare must move from individual concerns to collective responsibility. Rather than focusing solely on “What can I get?” we aim to inspire a shift to “What can we achieve together to ensure high-quality maternal care for all?” This approach encourages a shared commitment to improving the healthcare system, fostering a culture where the well-being of mothers and infants is seen as a collective priority.

 

Our Initiative: Hospital Watch for Maternity Care in the Delaware Valley

In November 2024, we will launch our Hospital Watch: Delaware Valley initiative, a targeted effort to enhance maternal care in hospitals and healthcare settings across the region. This multi-year initiative is designed to set the standard for maternal healthcare nationwide, ensuring that by November 2026, all hospitals in the Delaware Valley and beyond are equipped to provide excellent, safe, and equitable maternal care.

Hospital in the Spotlight: Promoting Transparency and Safety

Our first initiative under Hospital Watch is called "Hospital in the Spotlight." We will analyze and present publicly available data on patient safety and maternal outcomes in a clear, user-friendly format. This data will serve as a foundation for informed action, allowing communities and hospital leadership to identify areas for improvement and celebrate successes.

Citizen Engagement: Tools for Accountability

At the heart of Hospital Watch is the empowerment of citizens to actively participate in monitoring and improving maternal care. We provide a range of tools designed to increase transparency, accountability, and ensure that hospitals uphold the highest standards for maternal health:

  • Checklists: Comprehensive guides for patients, families, and caregivers to use throughout the maternity journey. These checklists cover essential topics such as prenatal care, delivery options, postpartum support, and patient rights, ensuring that best practices are consistently followed. They serve as a roadmap to navigate the healthcare system, helping families ask the right questions and make informed decisions.

  • Tracer Tools: A system for tracking and documenting patient experiences from pregnancy through postpartum care. These tools enable patients and families to record their maternity care journey, noting key interactions, services received, and any gaps or challenges encountered. This data can identify patterns and trends in the quality of care, highlighting successes and areas needing improvement within healthcare facilities.

  • Engagement with Hospital Boards: Structured opportunities for citizens to directly engage with hospital leadership and decision-makers. This includes attending board meetings, participating in advisory councils, and providing feedback on maternity services. By empowering citizens to voice their concerns and share their experiences, we hold hospitals accountable for maternal health outcomes and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

These tools are designed to equip citizens with the resources and knowledge needed to advocate effectively for better maternal care, driving systemic changes that benefit all mothers and their families.

 

Getting to ZERO by 2026: Reducing Maternal Complications

Aligned with "Hospital in the Spotlight," we are introducing the "Getting to ZERO by 2026" campaign—a plan to eliminate preventable maternal complications in hospitals. This campaign focuses on:

  • Reducing Hospital-Associated Conditions: Addressing key factors that lead to complications during childbirth, including unnecessary medical interventions, lack of follow-up care, and gaps in communication between providers.

  • Developing Action Plans: Providing hospitals with clear, actionable roadmaps to improve safety, reduce maternal mortality, and ensure positive birth experiences for all.

 

Join the Movement: Empowering Communities for Change

Hospital Watch is more than a project—it's a movement to revolutionize maternal healthcare. We aim to empower communities, expecting mothers, and their families by providing them with the knowledge, tools, and strategies to advocate for safer and more effective maternity care. Your involvement is crucial to driving change and creating a healthcare system that is transparent, accountable, and centered on the well-being of mothers and children.

 

How You Can Get Involved

  • Stay Informed: Follow our updates on the state of maternal care in your local hospitals, and learn about the changes being made to improve outcomes.

  • Use Our Tools: Utilize the checklists, tracers, and guides we provide to engage with your local healthcare providers and ensure the highest standards of care.

  • Engage with Hospital Leadership: Attend hospital board meetings, participate in community forums, and advocate for policies that prioritize maternal well-being.

  • Spread the Word: Share information about Hospital Watch with your network to increase awareness and inspire others to join the effort for safer maternal healthcare.

 

Welcome to Hospital Watch

We invite you to be part of a transformative movement in maternal healthcare. Together, we can ensure that our hospitals provide the highest quality of care, making them not just places of healing but beacons of safety, transparency, and excellence. Join us in reshaping the healthcare landscape to create a brighter, healthier future for all mothers and children.

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