Helping New Moms Stay Healthy Postpartum Using Epic

New moms have a lot to remember about their health and their babies’ health, and it’s critical they understand warning signs of postpartum complications. By allowing patients to view education when and how it’s convenient for them through MyChart Bedside, Sparrow Health System in Michigan is working to reduce postpartum morbidity and mortality and keep moms healthy.

When a patient checks in to Sparrow’s mother-baby unit, she’s given a MyChart Bedside tablet she can use anytime, such as while tending to her baby late at night. She can watch educational videos created by Sparrow’s clinicians, and her response of “I understand” or “I have questions” appears in Epic so her care team can follow up. The tablet also provides privacy from visitors or staff as the patient answers a questionnaire about any symptoms of postpartum depression. After discharge, she can review the videos at home using MyChart if she needs a refresher.

Since they began using MyChart Bedside for education, Sparrow has seen significant increases in quality of learning and positive patient feedback, with 98% of postpartum patients completing education on a tablet.

“It’s really cool to see this in action,” said Cheryl Kay, a clinical nurse educator. “We can be more confident that a mom will come in if she’s experiencing a complication rather than waiting at home, partly because she received that education and didn’t dismiss her symptoms.”

Sparrow Health System received the American Nurses Association of Michigan’s 2019 Innovation Award for the project. Epic community members learn more from Sparrow’s XGM slides and audio, and read more about tools in Epic to prevent maternal morbidity and mortality on the UserWeb.