In Washington, DC, 16% of birthing patients had gestational or pre-existing hypertension in 2016 through 2019. In August 2021, the District of Columbia Perinatal Quality Collaborative (DCPQC) began implementing AIM’s Severe Hypertension in Pregnancy Patient Safety Bundle in all five of the district’s birthing facilities. The percentage of birthing facilities that have patient education materials on urgent postpartum warning signs increased from 0% in October 2021 to 80% in July 2023. Between October 2021 and October 2023, the proportion of women receiving timely treatment for persistent severe hypertension increased from 36% to 85%. The DCPQC continues to work with birthing facilities to implement AIM patient safety bundles through structured communities of learning that incorporate quality improvement support and sharing of clinical best practices resources.
District of Columbia
