Researchers evaluated 914,283 births, comparing C-section rates in the state from 2014-19. California hospitals with a C-section delivery rate greater than 23.9 percent were invited to participate in an 18-month improvement initiative between July 2016 and June 2019.
A total of 149 hospitals had C-section rates higher than the national target at baseline and were exposed to the statewide improvement initiatives. Of those, 91 hospitals also participated in the hospital-level quality improvement collaborative intervention.
The improvement programs involved mentorship, shared learning, rapid-cycle data feedback, and partnerships among nonprofit organizations, among others.
From 2014 to 2019, the low-risk C-section delivery rate fell from 26 percent to 22.8 percent, respectively, researchers found.
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