Every patient who delivers at an SSM hospital will wear an orange bracelet for at least six weeks post-birth. The bracelet alerts care teams that the patient recently gave birth and could be at risk for complications such as blood clots, hemorrhaging, sepsis or cardiomyopathy.
“Many postpartum deaths could be avoided if post-pregnancy and delivery complications were considered earlier in medical emergencies,” Michele Schiess, acute care and emergency services director at SSM Health Monroe Hospital, said in a Jan. 24 news release. “These bracelets could save lives by making emergency responders and clinicians aware of potential complications earlier in an emergency, leading to better care for women in this critical post-partum time.”
SSM said it is working with patients, EMS teams and other local health systems to inform them of the program, which represents the first of its kind in Wisconsin.
