Have you ever wondered about the difference between a “bundle” and a “protocol”? This document published in the April edition of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology outlines the purpose of and supporting evidence for the use of these and other various quality improvement tools.
ABSTRACT: The rise in maternal morbidity and mortality has resulted in national and international attention at optimally organizing systems and teams for pregnancy care. Given that maternal morbidity and mortality can occur unpredictably in any obstetric setting, specialists in general obstetrics and gynecology along with other primary maternal care providers should be integrally involved in efforts to improve the safety of obstetric care delivery. Quality improvement initiatives remain vital to meeting this goal. The evidencebased utilization of triggers, bundles, protocols, and checklists can aid in timely diagnosis and treatment to prevent or limit the severity of morbidity as well as facilitate interdisciplinary, patient-centered care. The purpose of this document is to summarize the pertinent elements from this forum to assist primary maternal care providers in their
utilization and implementation of these safety tools.
Source: Arora, Kavita Shah et al. (2016) Triggers, bundles, protocols, and checklists–what every maternal care provider needs to know. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 214(4) , 444 – 451.