The initiative will launch a readiness program that will seek to improve the care received by mothers and children in rural emergency rooms.
Indiana University School of Medicine has partnered with the Indiana Department of Health to launch a readiness program to improve the obstetric and pediatric care at rural emergency rooms. The $30 million initiative will train emergency room healthcare providers on obstetric and pediatric emergency standards and improve the equipment available in rural emergency rooms.
According to an article on Indiana University’s website, university president Pamela Whitten was quoted as saying of the initiative, “Every Hoosier mother and child deserves access to high-quality, lifesaving emergency care close to home. Caring for the people of Indiana is central to Indiana University’s mission. By leveraging the IU School of Medicine’s statewide clinical expertise and nine-campus presence, this partnership will strengthen emergency readiness and help ensure more mothers and babies in rural communities receive the care they deserve.”
The new initiative is called OPEration Ready, for obstetrics, pediatrics, emergency medical service, and will be led by primary investigator Dr. Lindsey Haut, who serves as the program director for Indiana Emergency Medical Services for Children and as the assistant professor of clinical emergency medicine and pediatrics at the IU School of Medicine. She will lead efforts to improve the emergency room care provided to pediatric patients. Erin Cleary, IU School of Medicine assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology and an expert in high-risk pregnancies, will lead efforts to improve obstetric emergency care. Nathan Alves, who serves as the interim vice chair of research and research director for the school’s Department of Emergency Medicine, is the grant project’s strategic lead.
The IU School of Medicine has an established relationship with Indiana Emergency Medical Services for Children, which administers the National Pediatric Readiness Project assessment to ensure that emergency room providers have adequate training for pediatric emergency care, even if that hospital does not have a pediatrics department.
The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that 28.1% of child deaths at emergency rooms are preventable provided the emergency room technicians have a high level of readiness for pediatric emergency scenarios.
The goal of this initiative is to make sure that children and postpartum women will receive adequate care in rural emergency rooms and that healthcare providers can prevent those preventable deaths.
State Health Commissioner Dr. Lindsay Weaver said, “We are excited to partner with IU on this initiative, building on a proven successful record in assessing pediatric readiness. This program is another innovative way IDOH is working to identify and address gaps in care to provide better outcomes for Indiana’s moms and babies through community partnerships.”
Gov. Mike Braun added, “Better rural healthcare infrastructure is essential to ensuring that every Hoosier has access to the care they need. This groundbreaking initiative will strengthen maternal and pediatric care in rural emergency departments across the state.”
For more information about Indiana University, visit the school’s website.