Missouri Hospitals Recognized for Advancing Maternal and Infant Care at 2026 MO PQC Collaboration Forum
Published Jul 16, 2026
Missouri hospitals are making meaningful strides to improve care for mothers and babies, and their dedication was celebrated during the 2026 Missouri Perinatal Quality Collaborative Collaboration Forum held July 15-16 in Lake Ozark, Mo.
The event brought together multidisciplinary teams from MO PQC participating hospitals for two days of learning, collaboration and recognition. Through presentations, peer discussions and hands-on activities, attendees shared strategies for implementing evidence-based practices that improve pregnancy, birth and postpartum care across Missouri.
Celebrating Missouri’s Quality Improvement Leaders
The forum opened with the MO PQC Stars Recognition Dinner, honoring hospitals that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to quality improvement.
Jackie Gatz, senior vice president of quality, safety and research at the Missouri Hospital Association, welcomed attendees before Karen Florio, D.O., MPH, provided a data-driven overview of Missouri’s maternal health landscape. Her presentation highlighted the significant progress hospitals have made through collaborative quality improvement efforts while reinforcing the importance of continuing this work to improve outcomes for Missouri families.
The evening concluded with the presentation of MO PQC Stars awards by Alison Williams, division vice president of clinical quality affairs at MHA and MO PQC lead, recognizing hospitals that have successfully implemented evidence-based practices through MO PQC quality improvement collaboratives.
What is the MO PQC Stars Program?
The MO PQC Stars program recognizes hospitals and health care organizations that have successfully implemented evidence-based practice standards and demonstrated excellence in quality improvement.
Hospitals earn Star recognition by actively participating in MO PQC collaboratives focused on improving outcomes in areas such as:
- Severe hypertension in pregnancy
- Obstetric hemorrhage
- Maternal-infant dyads affected by substance use disorder
- Perinatal mental health conditions
- Cardiac conditions in obstetric care
To receive Star recognition, participating teams must demonstrate strong engagement by attending collaborative meetings, consistently submitting quality data and implementing the evidence-based patient safety bundle elements associated with their project.
These achievements reflect more than meeting program benchmarks — they represent a hospital’s commitment to improving patient care and reducing severe maternal morbidity and mortality through continuous quality improvement.
Recognizing the 2026 MO PQC Stars
This year, seven Missouri hospitals earned MO PQC Star recognition, with several receiving Stars in multiple collaborative areas.
Obstetric Hemorrhage
- Barnes-Jewish Hospital
- Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare
- Phelps Health
- Texas County Memorial Hospital
Severe Hypertension in Pregnancy
- Barnes-Jewish Hospital
- Citizens Memorial Hospital
- Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare
- Phelps Health
Maternal-Infant Dyad Affected by Substance Use Disorder
- Barnes-Jewish Hospital
- Parkland Health Center – Farmington
- SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital – St. Louis
Turning Collaboration Into Better Care
Throughout the forum, hospital teams shared how participating in MO PQC collaboratives has transformed the care they provide to patients.
Lisa Helvey, BSN, R.N., of Parkland Health Center – Farmington said participation in the Maternal-Infant Dyad Affected by Substance Use Disorder collaborative has strengthened her team’s commitment to providing evidence-based care for every patient. Through implementation of the Eat, Sleep, Console model, the hospital has embraced a family-centered approach that supports infants experiencing neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome while promoting parent-infant bonding and reducing hospital stays.
Barnes-Jewish Hospital also shared how its participation in the collaborative has expanded services for pregnant and postpartum patients affected by substance use disorder. Lori Stevenson, MSN, RNC-OB, C-ONQS, ASQ-SSBB, described a powerful example in which a peer recovery coach stayed overnight with a laboring patient to provide support and advocacy, helping create a calm environment that resulted in a safe delivery and successful discharge home together for mother and baby.
While these successes are meaningful, presenters also acknowledged that quality improvement requires perseverance. Katie Althoff-Moore, MSN, R.N., NE-BC, RNC-MNN, C-ONQS, of SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital – St. Louis noted that introducing change can be one of the greatest challenges, emphasizing the importance of helping staff understand the “why” behind new practices.
April Crites, R.N., director of quality and risk management at Texas County Memorial Hospital, shared that balancing quality improvement work alongside daily patient care can be difficult, but the collaborative has helped her team strengthen clinical processes and increase awareness of evidence-based best practices.
Learning From One Another
The second day of the Collaboration Forum focused on sharing practical strategies for sustaining quality improvement efforts.
Representatives from Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare presented their experiences implementing new patient safety practices and integrating them into daily workflows. Hayli Wade, BSN, R.N., director of the birthing center at Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare, described how standardized hemorrhage risk assessments, quantitative blood loss measurement, enhanced staff education and improved documentation have created a more consistent, evidence-based approach to caring for patients.
A panel discussion featuring quality improvement leaders from across the state explored common challenges hospitals face — from maintaining staff competency for high-risk, low-frequency events to balancing limited resources — and highlighted practical solutions that have helped teams sustain progress.
Attendees also participated in a World Café networking session, exchanging ideas on topics ranging from data collection and staff engagement to patient and family involvement in quality improvement initiatives. The forum concluded with a TeamSTEPPS workshop led by the MO PQC team, providing participants with hands-on opportunities to strengthen teamwork and communication skills essential for delivering safe, high-quality care.
Continuing to Improve Care Across Missouri
The MO PQC Collaboration Forum serves as more than an opportunity to recognize achievements — it is a reminder of what is possible when hospitals work together toward a shared goal.
Through collaboration, data-driven improvement and a commitment to implementing evidence-based practices, Missouri hospitals are improving care for mothers, babies and families across the state. The MO PQC is proud to celebrate the hospitals that earned Star recognition this year and grateful for every team working to advance maternal and infant health through continuous quality improvement.