Premier Healthcare Alliance Announces Prenatal Health Initiative as Winner of National Award for Improving Health Outcomes of Mothers and Babies

PHOENIX--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--Centering Healthcare Institute has been honored by the Premier healthcare alliance with the 18^th Annual Monroe E. Trout Premier Cares Award for its CenteringPregnancy Group Prenatal Care program, which provides an innovative prenatal group care model now present in more than 300 sites across America. Centering Healthcare Institute received the Cares Award on January 26 and $70,000 for the work it has done to provide care to mothers and babies nationwide.

“Simply, they are transforming the way healthcare is delivered in our communities.”

Sponsored by Premier and its member hospitals, the Cares Award recognizes exemplary efforts by not-for-profit community organizations to improve the health of populations in need. Representatives of the Centering Healthcare Institute (CHI) received the Cares Award during Premier’s annual Governance Education Conference, January 25-27 in Phoenix.

Since 2001, Centering Healthcare Institute (www.centeringhealthcare.org) has had the mission “to change the paradigm of health services to a group care model in order to improve the overall health outcomes of mothers and babies across the life cycle.” CHI's executive director, Sharon Rising, developed CenteringPregnancy® to bring women out of the exam room into a group setting where they receive basic prenatal checkups, build community with other women, and gain knowledge and skills in pregnancy, childbirth and parenting. Overall, women in this group care experience a 33 percent lower rate of preterm birth, demonstrating a dramatic impact on health outcomes.

“The efforts of these great organizations are making an impact and Premier is thrilled to highlight the amazing work being done,” said Susan DeVore, Premier’s president and CEO. “Simply, they are transforming the way healthcare is delivered in our communities.”

A panel of hospital professionals, as well as health and business industry leaders, selects the winner and five finalists, which all receive cash awards for use in further improving their programs. Winning Cares Award programs are used to spotlight these community-based healthcare initiatives and to assist in replicating best practice programs through the Cares Award Web site.

Following are award finalists, each of which received $24,000 for use in further improving their program:

"The NiteStar Program" of St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, N.Y. (www.nitestar.org)

NiteStar is a unique and original performing arts peer model, multi-component school and community health program, built on the belief that a significant impact on adolescent health is possible only if youth are provided with accurate, sensitive, and engaging information and skills about health issues. NiteStar uses age appropriate/culturally sensitive theatrical methods to empower youth with skills to lead healthier lives. The program also helps parents and professionals to better understand and communicate more effectively with young people. The involvement and investment of parents, teachers and local resources help to create a better community for their children. NiteStar builds skills, attitudes and resources for young people that can reduce pregnancy, HIV/STD and sexual victimization among youth in neighborhoods and communities with some of the highest risks. Over the past 21 years, NiteStar has served more than 500,000 students, parents and school staff.

Boston's Community Medical Group (www.bcmgweb.org)

Founded in 1988, Boston’s Community Medical Group (BCMG) provides comprehensive care to more than 400 patients with severe physical disabilities living within one hour of Boston. Conditions include congenital anomalies, nervous system tumors, neuromuscular disorders, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, cerebral palsy, etc. All participants use wheelchairs for mobility and rely on personal care attendants or alternatives for assistance with activities of daily living. BCMG’s mission is to provide high quality, comprehensive primary care in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible by reducing barriers to care and establishing a highly personalized partnership with patients. Cost savings abound from preventing adverse medical events. BCMG costs rank far below traditional Medicaid fee-for-service plans that would typically cover these patients.

Every Child Succeeds of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati (www.everychildsucceeds.org)

Every Child Succeeds (ECS) is a home visitation program helping at-risk families ensure an optimal start for their young children. ECS provides home visits for first-time mothers who are young, low-income, single and/or receiving inadequate prenatal care – factors that tend to put their children at higher risk for delayed development, inadequate ongoing medical care, abuse, neglect and poor academic achievement. Home visits start during a mother’s pregnancy and continue through the child’s third birthday, allowing for long-term relationship building and support for all major developmental stages of the child. Since 1999, ECS has served more than 15,000 families in Greater Cincinnati through more than 300,000 home visits.

Center for Life - CenteringPregnancy^® Program, Washington, DC (www.provhosp.org/centerflife.htm)

In June 2007, the Center for Life at Providence Hospital began using the CenteringPregnancy^® model of healthcare delivery, which identifies low-risk maternity patients between 16 and 20 weeks of pregnancy with estimated due dates within four weeks of each other, inviting them to participate in a group session format. Pregnant women from vulnerable backgrounds are able to access healthcare, education and support, which increase healthy birth outcomes. Over the past two years, 467 women participated in the program. Only 5 percent of babies were born prematurely compared to the U.S. preterm delivery rate of 12.7 percent and Washington, DC, rate of 15.9 percent. Four percent of the babies were low birth weight (LBW) compared to the DC LBW rate of 11.1 percent.

Good NEWS for a Better LIFE of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Azle and Good NEWS, Azle, Texas (www.texashealth.org/betterlife)

Good NEWS for a Better LIFE was created in 2006 as a product of two programs serving the well (senior volunteer caregivers providing social support services such as telephone calls, visits, shopping assistance, minor home repair, yard work, chore services and transportation to hundreds of other senior citizens) and the frail (those seniors who need health education, screenings, exercise and healthcare). Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Azle and Good NEWS work together to promote healthy lifestyles and injury prevention while creating vital lifelines into senior’s homes, enabling them to thrive rather than endure the hardships of isolation. Since 2007, only three people have been discharged from Good NEWS to a nursing home, with six current participants over the age of 90 living at home independently.

About the Premier Cares Award

Premier has presented the Cares Award annually since 1992, when it was created by Dr. Monroe E. Trout, former CEO of American Healthcare Systems, one of Premier’s heritage organizations. Having provided over $3 million to over 100 organizations nationwide, the Cares Award winner receives a cash grant of $70,000, while five runners-up receive $24,000 each. The competition is open to not-for-profit organizations that have been in existence for more than two years, are providing creative solutions to health status improvement, can provide documentation of outcomes and impact on a specific population, and have programs that can be replicated in other communities. Click here for more information.

About Premier Inc., 2006 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient

The Premier healthcare alliance is more than 2,300 U.S. hospitals and 64,000-plus other healthcare sites working together to improve healthcare quality and affordability. Owned by not-for-profit hospitals, Premier maintains the nation's most comprehensive repository of clinical, financial and outcomes information and operates a leading healthcare purchasing network. A world leader in helping deliver measurable improvements in care, Premier works with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the United Kingdom's National Health Service North West to improve hospital performance. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Premier also has offices in San Diego, Philadelphia and Washington. Follow Premier on Twitter.