IMPLICIT

The Interventions to Minimize Preterm and Low Birth Infants Using Continuous Quality Improvement Techniques (IMPLICIT) Network was established in 2003 by the FMEC as a perinatal continuous quality improvement (CQI) collaborative. The project spreads maternal health innovations in primary care through preventive, postpartum and well child visits (WCVs).

IMPLICIT’s initial goal was to improve adherence to evidence-based prenatal guidelines associated with lower rates of preterm birth, but we also recognized the need for improved preconception health and postpartum care. Using a family-based approach, IMPLICIT developed the Interconception Care (ICC) model, through which birthing parents are screened for risk factors (tobacco, depression, family planning needs and multivitamin use) at WCVs 0-24 months. In 2019, IMPLICIT developed the 4th Trimester Care model (4TM) which focuses on right-sized postpartum care using newly-created tools to identify and address biomedical and psychosocial risks associated with maternal morbidity and mortality.

Over 40 clinic sites have implemented ICC as a standard of care in their practices, with data collected on over 175,000 WCVs from 60,000 mother/infant dyads. The 4TM model was adopted by 14 clinics during a large-scale pilot from 2020-2023, generating data on over 2,000 patients.

The IMPLICIT Network is sustained by grants from groups such as the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the March of Dimes, as well as dues collected from participating IMPLICIT clinics, and FMEC in-kind support. If you are interested in supporting IMPLICIT, please contact Scott Allen at scott.allen@fmec.net.

For more information on IMPLICIT, visit https://www.fmec.net/implicit.