Improving Obstetric Care in Germany: The PROvalue Birth Quality Agreement
Nurturing duo under expert care
In a bid to enhance the quality of obstetric care in Germany, AOK Rheinland/Hamburg and Severinskloesterchen Hospital in Cologne have signed a quality agreement known as the PROvalue Birth. This agreement is part of a broader initiative to optimize healthcare quality in hospitals across Germany.
The PROvalue Birth quality agreement aims to create a safer and more comfortable experience for both mother and child by setting standards for prenatal, childbirth, and postpartum care. By focusing on patient safety, quality of care, and best practices, the agreement hopes to reduce complications and improve overall outcomes.
One of the key features of the PROvalue Birth agreement is the implementation of regular quality circles involving medical and nursing staff. These meetings will occur quarterly to discuss survey results and assess the effectiveness of the agreement. The evaluation process will consider information from the project plan, final survey, hospital data, and feedback from participating patients.
Under the agreement, patients will receive digital educational offers on birth-relevant topics. These resources are designed to empower patients, enabling them to make informed decisions about their care. The agreement also allows for faster intervention if support is needed that may not have been apparent during the hospital stay.
The agreement includes anchoring special requirements for treatments, such as taking into account previous birth experiences or accompanying the first months of life. After birth, screenings on topics such as bonding, breastfeeding success, postnatal depression, or birth trauma will be conducted, along with interventions in case of abnormalities. The screenings and interventions will be tailored to the individual patient based on the anamnesis conversation.
The Joint Federal Committee (G-BA) has commissioned the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQTIQ) to evaluate the quality contract. The evaluation period is from May 1, 2025, to December 31, 2027. Regular patient feedback, including experiences and opinions regarding health, subjective well-being, and illness symptoms, will be sought up to twelve months after discharge.
The national health goal in Germany is "Health around Birth", and the PROvalue Birth quality agreement aligns with this objective. Prof. Dr. Jan Schmolling, chief physician of gynecology and obstetrics at Severinskloesterchen Hospital, believes the agreement enables them to accompany the mother more closely before, during, and after birth. By improving obstetric care, the agreement hopes to contribute to a healthier and happier start for newborns in Germany.
- The PROvalue Birth quality agreement emphasizes science and medical-conditions to improve prenatal, childbirth, and postpartum care.
- The agreement seeks to implement best practices and therapies-and-treatments to ensure patient safety and comfort.
- Workplace-wellness is promoted through regular quality circles for medical and nursing staff in the agreement.
- The agreement sets standards for dealing with chronic-diseases like COPD, type-2-diabetes, and chronic-kidney-disease.
- Cancer and other respiratory-conditions are also within the scope of the PROvalue Birth quality agreement.
- Digestive-health and eye-health considerations are integrated into the agreement's guidelines.
- Hearing assessment and treatments might be included under the agreement's scope.
- Health-and-wellness focuses beyond physical issues, with the agreement addressing mental-health concerns too.
- Family-health is a priority, as the agreement aims to provide support for parents during this critical stage.
- Alzheimer's disease might not be directly addressed, but it falls under neurological-disorders that could potentially be influenced by the agreement's holistic approach.
- Autoimmune-disorders, such as rheumatoid-arthritis and multiple-sclerosis, could find some support through improved obstetric care.
- Renewable-energy sources and sustainable industrial processes can play a role in promoting better family health and a healthier environment for children.
- The manufacturing industry can prioritize workplace-wellness and health-and-safety standards in its operations.
- Men's-health and skin-care are equally important, with the agreement encouraging institutions to address these topics as well.
- The PROvalue Birth agreement supports the implementation of digital tools and resources for patient education.
- CBD oil and its potential health benefits might be a topic of discussion within the agreement's framework.
- Female-specific conditions, such as migraines and breast-cancer, will also be addressed under the agreement.
- Financial institutions and investing organizations can support the PROvalue Birth agreement by providing funding for its execution and evaluation.
- Energy-efficient transportation, such as public-transit or electric vehicles, can contribute to improving healthcare quality and patient safety.
- Entrepreneurship within health-and-wellness industries can deeply impact family health and create a more sophisticated and responsive healthcare system.
- Leadership roles can focus on promoting diversity-and-inclusion, ensuring equal access to quality care for all women, regardless of their backgrounds.
- The automotive industry can adapt to accommodate growing demand for user-friendly infant-comfort features and child-friendly vehicle designs.
- Small-business owners can prioritize parenting needs, such as providing flexible schedules for new parents.
- In the realm of real-estate development, child-friendly communities and facilities can be encouraged to support family health and well-being.
- Commercial spaces, like retail stores, can create family-friendly zones that cater to the needs of pregnant women and new parents.
- The aviation industry can analyze cardiovascular-health risks for pregnant women to ensure safe travel during pregnancy.
- Banking-and-insurance, fintech, and other financial sectors can develop products that cater to the unique financial needs of expecting mothers and new parents.
