Severe Hypertension Initiative
Complications arising from hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are among the leading causes of severe maternal morbidity and mortality, both nationally and in Georgia. The Severe Hypertension initiative launched in June 2019 with 41 birthing hospitals currently participating. This initiative focuses on standardizing care for pregnant and postpartum women with severe hypertension to ensure timely and appropriate treatment, and follows the AIM Severe Hypertension Patient Safety Bundle.
- Readiness: Implementation of standard processes for optimal care of severe maternal hypertension in pregnancy.
- Recognition & Prevention: Screening and early diagnosis of cardiac conditions in maternal hypertension in pregnancy.
- Response: Care management for every pregnant or postpartum woman with new onset severe hypertension.
- Reporting/System Learning: Foster a culture of safety and improvement for care of women with new onset severe hypertension in pregnancy.
- Respectful, Equitable, and Supportive Care: Inclusion of the patient as part of the multidisciplinary care team.
Implementation Resources
GaPQC Hypertension Teams
Access up to date resources on Microsoft Teams including
the Hypertension data collection plan.
Million Hearts - Hypertension in Pregnancy Change Package
What Is the Hypertension in Pregnancy Change Package (HPCP)?
The HPCP was developed in partnership with the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), American College of Osteopathic Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOOG), American Medical Association (AMA), National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH), and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM). It presents an evidence-informed listing of process improvements with accompanying tools and resources that outpatient clinicians and care team members can implement as they provide care to pregnant and postpartum women and women of reproductive age with a focus on early identification, optimal management, and prevention of complications of hypertension in pregnancy.
The Million Hearts® HPCP is a quality-improvement guide, full of practical tools and resources gathered from and tailored for clinical teams caring for pregnant and postpartum women in outpatient settings. The HPCP includes strategies to improve:
- Identification of chronic hypertension in women of reproductive age and early pregnancy
- Aspirin prophylaxis for preeclampsia prevention
- Appropriate use of antihypertensive medications and self-measured blood pressure monitoring
- Postpartum counseling on warning symptoms and management of long-term cardiovascular risk
- Effective transitions of care
