Health Affairs July 18, 2024
Giving birth is more deadly in the United States than in any other high-income nation. Despite spending more per capita on health care, the US has significantly higher maternal mortality rates than its peers, with the highest rates amongst birthing individuals of color. Propelled by public outrage, this issue reached the White House agenda in December 2021, when Vice President Kamala Harris hosted the first-ever federal Maternal Health Day of Action. Following this, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a plan to designate “Birthing-Friendly” hospitals. To receive the “Birthing-Friendly” designation, hospitals must both participate in a structured state or national quality improvement (QI) collaborative and demonstrate implementation of patient safety initiatives as a part of those QI...