Organizational Policy Advocacy for a Quality Improvement Innovation in a Maternal and Child Health Network: Lessons Learned in Early Implementation

ABSTRACT

This article analyzes and reports lessons learned in early implementation of a large quality improvement innovation for a maternal and child health network working in a large Midwestern metropolitan area. It uses a case study method to focus on how internal advocacy and policy practice helped network partners accept and adapt to the initial rollout of a mandated quality improvement system that required careful data tracking for a universal screening and referral process for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Three key findings emerged. Network participants endorsed new outreach to the executives of network partners to confirm their support of and compliance with the new quality improvement system. Participants also strategized ways to maintain program autonomy and disperse concerns about heavy-handed implementation of the quality improvement program. Finally, they identified ways to adapt the quality improvement program in response to concerns raised.

KEYWORDS:

• Organizational policy advocacy
• quality improvement
• social innovation
• implementation science
• maternal and child health

Conflicts of interest

The author declares no conflict of interest.