Reduction of Cesarean Delivery Rates in South Florida: The MSMC Experience [ID: 1370319]

INTRODUCTION: Mount Sinai Medical Center (MSMC) in Miami Beach, Florida, is home to a diverse and international obstetric population. In 2017, the state of Florida had a cesarean delivery (CD) rate for nulliparous, term, singleton, vertex (NTSV) of 31.1%, the highest in the nation. Mount Sinai Medical Center had a NTSV CD rate of 38.3%. The national rate of NTSV CD in 2017 was 26%. Mount Sinai Medical Center joined PROVIDE (Promoting Primary Vaginal Deliveries), a statewide initiative by the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative with the goal of improving maternal and newborn outcomes by applying evidence-based interventions and reducing NTSV CD rates. METHODS: The implementation of an obstetrics and gynecology residency program and monthly grand rounds contributed to an effort of evidence-based medicine. The interventions implemented were nurse education of labor positioning from Bundle Births and Spinning Babies, nursing recognition as “Vaginal Queen of the Month,” Bishop score documentation added to H&P, obstetric physicians assigned “Badge Buddies” next to their hospital ID cards disclosing their personal NTSV CD rate, and a pre-cesarean checklist for labor dystocia or failed induction. RESULTS: After 2 years of multifaceted interventions, MSMC had decreased its cesarean delivery rate for NTSV patients from 38.3% in 2017 to 27.7% in 2019. The average rate in Florida overall was 29.7% in 2019 and the national rate of CD in NTSV patients was 25.6% in 2019 (data source: FPQC Perinatal Indicator System). CONCLUSION: With continued interventions, we hypothesize that we will meet the healthy people 2030 target CD for NTSV rate of 23.6% as the initiative enters its sustainability phase.