Pennsylvania Perinatal Quality Collaborative Recognizes UPMC Williamsport for Excellence in Maternal Care Initiatives

June 13, 2024

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – UPMC Williamsport has been recognized for its excellence in quality improvement initiatives focusing on maternal care by the Pennsylvania Perinatal Quality Collaborative (PA PQC).

UPMC Williamsport earned a silver designation to recognize its work in the issue areas of Immediate Postpartum Long-Acting Reversible Contraception focusing on patient voice. A silver designation signifies the hospital’s proven commitment to incorporating health equity or patient voice into its quality improvement work.

“Ensuring that we’re listening to our patients throughout their entire experience with us is an essential part of our comprehensive patient-centered maternal care model,” said Brenda Terry-Manchester, director, Women’s Health Services, UPMC in North Central Pa. “Every pregnancy and postpartum experience is different. By directly involving the birthing person in their care and treating them with dignity, compassion, and respect, we support and care for them while looking to lay the foundation for their best future. This designation is an honor and testament to the work of our talented physicians, certified nurse midwives, nurses, and staff who live our values and place our patients at the center of everything we do.”

UPMC Williamsport is part of UPMC Magee-Womens, the state’s largest network of top-rated maternity care. In addition to UPMC Williamsport, UPMC Magee, UPMC Altoona, UPMC Hamot, UPMC Harrisburg, and UPMC Northwest, have been recognized with Designation Awards from PA PQC.

Hospitals had the opportunity to earn a Designation for each 2023-24 PA PQC initiative that they actively participated in, including Immediate Postpartum Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (IPLARC), substance use disorders (SUD), and substance exposed newborn (SEN).

“We are honored that a number of our UPMC Magee-Womens hospitals were recognized for our maternal health care initiatives,” said Annmarie Lyons, vice president, women’s health service line, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital. “We are working hard each and every day to reduce maternal mortality in our communities and to continue to serve and provide key services for pregnant and postpartum people and babies who need our help and support.”

Designation awards and levels are based on meeting quality improvement milestone criteria over a 12-month period, starting from April 2023 through March 2024. PA PQC presented this year’s awards as part of its Inaugural Designation Awards Ceremony at its annual conference in Harrisburg on May 22, 2024.

The PA PQC is administered by the Jewish Healthcare Foundation and WHAMglobal, and it is affiliated with the Northeastern PA PQC (NEPaPQC).