North Carolina medical journal
-
Despite long-standing guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists that call for avoiding elective births prior to 39 weeks of gestation, elective deliveries make up almost one-third of US births occurring in weeks 36-38. Poor outcomes are more likely for infants born electively before 39 weeks than for those born at 39 weeks. The Perinatal Quality Collaborative of North Carolina (PQCNC) undertook the 39 Weeks Project in 2009-2010 with the aim of reducing the number of early-term elective deliveries in North Carolina hospitals. ⋯ The PQCNC's 39 Weeks Project successfully decreased the rate of early-term elective deliveries in participating hospitals.
-
This study examined trends in premature mortality--defined as years of potential life lost before age 75 years--in North Carolina during the period 2000-2010. ⋯ Public health professionals should focus attention on counties in which premature mortality is increasing or remaining constant and should address the specific underlying causes of such deaths. In counties in which premature mortality among whites is increasing, community health efforts should focus on prevention of smoking, suicide, and injury. In counties with large nonwhite populations, programs should focus on prevention of stroke, heart disease, diabetes, homicide, and kidney disease.
-
The health care industry is grappling with the challenges of working with and analyzing large, complex, diverse data sets. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina provides several promising examples of how big data can be used to reduce the cost of care, to predict and manage health risks, and to improve clinical outcomes.
-
The North Carolina Immunization Registry (NCIR) is a secure, Web-based clinical tool that serves as an official record of immunization status. This commentary provides an overview of the NCIR and describes how providers, communities, and public health agencies use its data to improve quality of care.
-
Community Care of North Carolina's 14 networks use data analysis to provide relevant solutions that are responsive to unique regional environments. This article describes some of the ways that these networks use data to improve patient self-management, to meet providers' needs, to improve quality of care, and to control costs.