Iowa AIM Program

What is AIM?

The Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM) is a national data-driven maternal safety and quality improvement initiative. 

When did Iowa join AIM?

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS) announced Iowa's enrollment in the AIM Program in October 2020. The program officially launched in May 2021 with 43 Iowa birthing facilities joining the collaborative and implementing the first initiative.

AIM Safe Reduction of Primary Cesarean Patient Safety Bundle

Cesarean deliveries have greater risks for current and future pregnancies than vaginal birth and should be avoided without medical indication. This AIM PSB was the first maternal health QI initiative implemented in the state and ran from the fall of 2021 through the summer of 2022.

AIM Obstetric Hemorrhage Patient Safety Bundle

The 2020 Iowa Maternal Mortality Review found that one of the leading causes of pregnancy-related maternal deaths in Iowa directly were from hemorrhage. This AIM PSB was the second maternal health QI initiative implemented in the state and was run as a sprint from the fall of 2022 through the spring of 2023.

AIM Severe Hypertension Disorders in Pregnancy Patient Safety Bundle

Preeclampsia and other hypertensive conditions of pregnancy are responsible for approximately 16% of maternal deaths in our county. Emerging data suggests that people who experience preeclampsia in their pregnancies are at significantly greater risk for heart disease later in life. This AIM PSB is the third maternal health QI initiative implemented in the state and ran from the fall of 2023 through the summer of 2023. 

AIM Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders in Pregnancy Patient Safety Bundle

Mental health and the social environment have been repeatedly identified on Iowa's Maternal Mortality Review Committee as key factors underlying maternal deaths in the state, even if the death was not directly related to these conditions. Hospital system and providers have been recommended to standardize their approach to screening, treatment, and connection to referrals. The Iowa AIM Leadership team will combine AIM's Perinatal Mental Health Conditions and Care for Pregnant and Postpartum People with Substance Use Disorder PSBs and begin implementation in 2025 through a pilot within one Iowa community, followed by statewide scaling and implementation through 2027.