Making Illinois the Best Place to Give Birth and be Born

Over 95%

Birthing hospitals participating in one or more statewide quality improvement initiatives.

99%

Percent of births covered by hospitals participating in ILPQC initiatives.

100%

Neonatal intensive care units participating in ILPQC initiatives.

Join us for our BCBS Designation Kick-Off on January 13th!

ILPQC, in collaboration with Blue Cross Blue Shield, is excited to announce the launch of our Birth Care Quality Star and Birth Care Quality Excellence designation program. The goal for the designation program is to recognize participating facilities for their improvement work and create a system of sustained change related to evidence-based best practice. The designation distinguishes those birthing facilities committed to practices that promote safe, equitable, and respectful care for all people giving birth and their infants in Illinois.

To learn more about the designation criteria to qualify for these two tiers, the designation program timeline, and the supports offered by this program, register for our Kick-Off call on January 13th at 1 pm here.

Who We Are

ILPQC is a statewide network of perinatal
clinicians, nurses, hospitals, patients, public
health leaders and policymakers that aims
to equitably improve outcomes and reduce
disparities for mothers and babies across
Illinois.

What We Do

ILPQC works closely with the Illinois Department of Public Health Regionalized Perinatal System, state health agencies, associations, and advocacy groups to improve obstetric and neonatal care to reduce maternal and infant morbidity and mortality.

Active Initiatives

Birth Equity (BE) Initiative

Hospital teams across Illinois facilitate systems and culture change to support conditions of optimal births for all people to address maternal disparities and promote birth equity.

Equity and Safe Sleep for Infants (ESSI) Initiative

Building upon the foundational work of the ILPQC Birth Equity initiative, hospital teams across Illinois will promote neonatal equity, address racial and social inequities, and seek to reduce neonatal health disparities in sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) related to the sleep environment.

Promoting Vaginal Birth (PVB) Initiative

Hospital teams across Illinois implement new protocols that promote and support vaginal birth; developing standardized processes for induction and labor support; and developing standardized protocols for identification and response to labor challenges/abnormalities.

Babies Antibiotic Stewardship Improvement Collaborative (BASIC) Initiative

Hospital teams across Illinois are implementing new protocols to provide the right antibiotics to the right babies for the right length of time.

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Over 95%

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Join us for our BCBS Designation Kick-Off on January 13th!

Who We Are

What We Do

Active Initiatives

Upcoming Events and Webinars

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Illinois Birthing Hospital Quality Designation Program Kick-off Meeting

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Birth Equity Teams Call

ESSI Monthly Webinar

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Recent News

Illinois Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Report (October 2023)

Illinois Infant Mortality Report (September 2024)