The expert group guiding this project, including obstetricians, nurse managers and a clinical nurse specialist, all from hospitals who have worked to eliminate elective deliveries before 39 weeks, met by phone to develop a plan for data collection and outcome measurement for this project. The working definition of "elective" delivery is a delivery done in the absence of a medical indication where delivery would offer a benefit to the mother or fetus/neonate. This definition will be elaborated by combining working definitions from expert committee member hospitals and other sources, including IHI bundle definitions. Hospitals will be asked to review inductions and scheduled cesarean sections to identify the rate of non-medically indicated delivery before 39 weeks. Data will be submitted monthly to PQCNC and will include both maternal and neonatal outcomes. Items to be measured include length of stay on L&D and NICU admission. The project goal was defined as such: participating hospitals will reduce the number of elective deliveries (induction and cesarean, including repeat cesarean) prior to 39 weeks gestation without a mature of amniocentesis to 90% of baseline or will totally eliminate these deliveries altogether.
