SC Birth Outcomes Initiative (SCBOI)

South Carolina is unique in that its perinatal quality collaborative, the South Carolina Birth Outcomes Initiative, has been led by the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) Medicaid program since its inception. The SCBOI is a collaboration of SCDHHS, SC Hospital Association, March of Dimes, Blue Cross Blue Shield of SC, and more than 100 partners who together share the goal of improving health outcomes for mothers and newborns not only in the Medicaid program but throughout the state’s population.

Some of their goals include:

eliminating elective inductions for non-medically indicated deliveries prior to 39 weeks,
supporting the CenteringPregnancy® Model,
immediate inpatient insertion of long acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs),
implementing a universal screening and referral tool (SBIRT) to screen pregnant women during pregnancy and after delivery,
sustaining programs for the management of substance-exposed infants,
supporting the reduction of cesarean sections for first-time, low-risk mothers,
disseminating education and training to promote safe sleep, and
promoting Baby-Friendly certified hospitals and breastfeeding.

Recent additional areas of focus have centered on reducing severe maternal morbidity and maternal mortality by expanding access to postpartum care and perinatal community health workers and implementing statewide maternal safety bundles through the SC AIM initiative. These goals are implemented with the support of workgroups centered on access and care coordination, infant care, behavioral health, quality and patient safety, and data. To read more about the South Carolina Birth Outcomes Initiative, visit SC DHHS.

The Division of Integrated Health and Policy Research at the University of South Carolina Institute for Families in Society has provided technical assistance, consultation, and evaluation for SCBOI since it helped to form the initiative in 2011. Data and quality improvement tips provided by IFS for this work may be reviewed on the IFS-developed SCBOI dashboard. Below are some of the products developed.

Presentations

SC IMPH Health Policy Summit - MCH Data Snapshot	Delivering Maternal and Child Health Data to Hospitals in a Secure Online Environment	SCBOI Symposium - SCBOI Dashboard Presentation
Exploration of Medicaid Lag Among Maternal Delivery Claims

Perinatal Quality Improvement Tips

A Resource Guide for Hospitals Seeking to Improve Maternal & Newborn Outcomes

A new integrated resource guide for birthing facilities seeking to improve maternal & newborn outcomes is now available!

This resource guide provides a summary of programs and initiatives that may help birthing facilities address some of the greatest challenges affecting maternal and newborn health in South Carolina (SC). It is designed for use within hospitals by Perinatal Quality Improvement Leaders and Provider Champions to improve systems of care and, consequently, improve obstetric outcomes through the implementation of evidence-based, respectful care.

The resources in this guide can provide support for hospitals in the following ways:

Aid in reporting of national quality indicators (i.e., CMS, AIM, The Joint Commission, and Leapfrog Group)
Help meet CMS birthing-facility credentials
Optimize limited staff resources
Promote greater return on investment

Through the tips and resources provided in this guide, hospitals can be key partners in improving perinatal quality, access to care, and outcomes for mothers and babies in SC.

Download the new PQI Tips Guide (April 2025)

Geospatial Environmental Scans ©

SCBOI Geospatial Environmental Scan^©- December 2021

The December 2021 SCBOI Geospatial Environmental Scan^© (GeoEScan^©) is an information product that can be used to explore select characteristics at multiple geographic levels.

The December 2021 GeoEScan^© uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applications to capture, integrate, analyze, and display data pertaining to maternal conditions among hospitalized mothers, utilization of prenatal and postpartum care, drive time to care, hospital births, social determinants of health, and much more.

PLEASE NOTE: To use the interactive features of the SCBOI GeoEScan^©, you must DOWNLOAD the pdf below and then open your saved copy. The interactive features do not work when the file is opened in a browser window.

SC Birth Outcomes Geospatial Environmental Scan^© December 2021

SCBOI Geospatial Environmental Scan^© Quick Start Tips December 2021

SCBOI Geospatial Environmental Scan^© User Guide June 2021

SCBOI Geospatial Environmental Scan^© - June 2021

The SCBOI Geospatial Environmental Scan^© is an interactive tool that can be used to explore select population health characteristics geographically at statewide or sub-state levels.

Infographics


2021	2016 (5-Year BOI Anniversary)	2015	2014

SC Deliveries and Births Fact Sheets

2020	2019	2018

Additional Presentations

Maternal and Newborn Health Quality 2018-2020 Annual Results

Lòpez-DeFede, A. & Gareau, S. (2022). Maternal Health Quality 2018-2020 Annual Results. Presented at the January 2022 South Carolina Birth Outcomes Initiative Vision Team meeting.

Click here to view the full PPT slides examining maternal and newborn characteristics, labor & delivery trends, statewide initiatives, and areas for potential intervention.

2016 Annual Results

The SCBOI celebrated its fifth anniversary. Highlights of accomplishments are featured in this Prezi developed by SCDHHS and also available here as pdf