North Carolina medical journal
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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.
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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.
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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.