FPQC > Frequently Asked Questions

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  • What is the FPQC?
    The FPQC is a comprehensive collaboration of perinatal health-related practitioners from a variety of professions and specialties, statewide organizations, individuals, advocates, educators, policymakers, hospitals and payers. These stakeholders work voluntarily to implement quality improvement projects and provide evidence-based perinatal care to promote better outcomes for mothers and babies in Florida.
  • Why was the FPQC formed?
    The FPQC was created to begin improving Florida’s maternal and infant health outcomes through the delivery of continuous, data-driven, population-based, quality improvement initiatives with a focus on some of the most critical perinatal health issues in Florida.
  • What are quality improvement (QI) initiatives?
    QI initiatives are multidisciplinary, systems-focused, data-driven methods of understanding and improving the efficiency, effectiveness and reliability of health processes and care outcomes. QI initiatives are utilized to reduce quality gaps (differences between health care processes or outcomes observed in practice and those potentially obtainable based on current evidence-based knowledge) for groups of patients.*

    *Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2004.
  • What are the goals of the FPQC?
    1. Engage perinatal health care stakeholders in the design, implementation and evaluation of data-driven processes for population- and evidence-based, value-added, cost-effective perinatal health care quality improvement efforts that enhance patient safety outcomes.
    2. Encourage perinatal health care providers to educate and empower families and patients to become involved for their own well-being as well as for the welfare of their communities.
    3. Build and sustain consensus, awareness and support across the state and nation regarding the value and benefits of active engagement with the FPQC in proposing, researching, selecting and launching new quality improvement initiatives.
    4. Become a nationally-recognized leader and role model in perinatal health care advancements through our effective evidence-based protocols for a variety of quality improvement processes.
    5. Acquire the financial resources necessary for the ongoing development and sustainment of the FPQC.

    Goals Note: After the FPQC’s Governance Meeting in late September 2012, the FPQC Leadership Staff and Team continue to analyze and develop our strategic goals based on attendees’ feedback. The above version is still in draft form. Final decisions on the exact verbiage will be made by April 2013.
  • Where can I find the FPQC’s charter?
    The FPQC’s 2012 charter is located under “Communications” within the “Provider Education” section of the website. This charter is in draft form based on attendees’ feedback during our September 2012 Governance Meeting. The final version will be made available in April 2013.
  • Who can participate in the FPQC?
    The FPQC seeks to create an all-inclusive culture of cooperation and transparency across the specialties of obstetrics, neonatology, pediatrics and all fields engaged in maternal and infant health care by bringing together the specific expertise of physicians, nurses, nurse-midwives and all other practitioners involved in perinatal health outcomes. Additionally, the FPQC wants to enhance this unique culture further by encouraging advocates, policymakers, payers and any other professionals concerned with perinatal health issues in Florida to communicate their distinctive perspectives within the Collaborative.
  • What are the FPQC’s Subcommittees?
    The FPQC includes three Subcommittees: Maternal Health Advisory, Infant Health Advisory and Data Advisory Subcommittees. To learn more about the specific duties of each Subcommittee, please visit the “Governance and Structure” web page within the “Organization” section of the website.
  • How do I join a Subcommittee?
    The FPQC encourages collaboration and information sharing amongst our different stakeholders from physicians to nurses and advocates to payers. We would like to advance this inter-professional approach within our Subcommittees. If you are interested in becoming a member of one of the Subcommittees listed under the “Governance and Structure” web page, please email fpqc@health.usf.edu with your full name, profession, affiliation and the name of the Subcommittee you would like to join.
  • Are there any current exploratory Project Teams?
    The FPQC currently has two proposed exploratory projects: “Delivery Room Management” and “Improving Growth Outcomes in Premature Infants.” The lead investigators are looking for a wide range of perinatal health-related practitioners and professionals for their teams. To learn more about these current projects and how to become involved, please visit the “Proposed Projects” web page under the “Projects” section of the website.
  • How do I become a member of the FPQC?
    Only online applications are accepted. Membership fees may be paid by credit card. (Visa, MasterCard and American Express only)
    To apply online, please visit: www.usf.edu/ua/perinatal

    When applying: Please include your full name, email address, type of membership and any Subcommittee you wish to join. Any further information would be appreciated so that we know the composition of our membership and Collaborative.
  • Who are the current, major supporters of the FPQC?
    Current financial supporters for our QI initiatives include the March of Dimes, the Florida Hospital Association, the Florida Department of Health, and the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. Charter members who comprise our Steering Committee are listed on the “Membership” web page under the “Organization” section of the website.
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FPQC Second Annual Conference March 21 & 22, 2013
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