The Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health at the George Washington University today announced the convening of an Expert Panel on Access to High-Quality Postpartum care, which will review existing guidelines that promote access to high-quality postpartum care, identify gaps, and recommend next steps to address these gaps. The new initiative was funded by the Commonwealth Fund.
The Expert Panel brings together leading clinicians, researchers, policy leaders, advocates and other experts to address a national challenge — that while postpartum coverage has grown, especially in Medicaid, the health care system still lacks a cohesive and consistently applied recommended standard of care. Without clear guidelines and standards, the persistent disparities in maternal and infant health by race, income, and geography cannot be addressed.
“Despite important expansion in postpartum coverage, states and health plans continue to face challenges in identifying what constitutes high-quality, comprehensive postpartum care,” said Anne Markus, Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management at GW’s Milken Institute School of Public Health and Acting Director of the Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health. “This panel will help recommend clearer, evidence-informed standards that can guide policy and practice.”
“Childbirth is not the finish line for care—it’s the beginning of a critical year for transition, recovery and support. Yet our system often pulls back just when families need it most. This moment calls for a standardized approach to postpartum care—one that truly supports women and families in the months after delivery,” said Laurie Zephyrin, SVP, Achieving Equitable Outcomes, The Commonwealth Fund.
Addressing Gaps in Postpartum Care Standards
Building on prior research examining postpartum care in Medicaid managed care, the expert panel will:
- Review existing postpartum care guidelines, standards and best practices across professional bodies, clinical specialties and federal and state agencies
- Assess the evidence base supporting these recommendations
- Identify gaps in current postpartum standards of care
- Recommend areas for future guideline development or revision
In addition to convening the panel, GW researchers will develop a comprehensive, publicly available repository of postpartum guidelines, standards and best practices identified through the panel’s work.
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