The Alaska Perinatal Quality Collaborative convened a multidisciplinary advisory committee for an initiative focused on improving maternal and neonatal transfers from planned community (home and birth center) births. Alaska has the highest proportion of community births in the United States and studies suggest that birth outcomes are improved when community birth providers are integrated into the health care system with access to consultation and efficient transfers when escalation of care is needed.

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This initiative was adapted with permission from Smooth Transitions, a quality improvement program at the Foundation for Health Care Quality in Washington State. Initiative activities include the establishment of local transfer committees to improve collaboration and address systems issues, development of standardized transfer protocols and forms, and promotion of protected case reviews that include the transferring provider/practice so that all parties have an opportunity to learn and improve the transfer process. This initiative is currently in sustainment.

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Resources

Landscape of Midwifery and Community Births in Alaska webinar 2.19.21

Alaska Birth Transfer Initiative Introductory Slides

Alaska Birth Transfer Initiative: Guidelines for Transfers from Community Births

• Interim Guidance for Community Birth Transfers During the COVID-19 Pandemic (updated 8.10.20)

Alaska Birth Transfer Guidelines Template

Maternal Transfer Form

Neonatal Transfer Form

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This initiative will be evaluated through online surveys that ask about experiences with transfers or urgent transports from community births. If you’ve experienced a recent community birth transfer, please consider taking a brief survey based on your role in the transfer. Please complete one survey for each transfer that occurs over the course of this initiative. 

• Transferring Provider Survey 

• Receiving Provider Survey 

• RN Survey 

• EMS Survey

• Client Survey

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