Saint Mary's Hospital Recognized for Advancing Maternal Health Equity

Saint Mary's Women and Infants Center held a ribbon cutting for its OB Emergency Department in April.

Trinity Health Of New England launched the Orange Bracelet Program in May 2025.

Joint Commission, an independent organization that accredits and certifies health care organizations and programs in the United States, selected Saint Mary’s for inclusion in this prestigious resource library based on its outstanding programs and performance on addressing maternal health.

In response to maternal health disparities across Connecticut, Saint Mary’s has taken strategic steps to address this issue and provide solutions. Using local data collection like demographics, social needs and clinical data, Saint Mary’s developed a multidisciplinary health equity workgroup to create a targeted action plan for maternal hypertension among Black and Latino birthing patients.

To address maternal hypertensive disorders, Saint Mary's implemented a comprehensive approach that includes:
•    Standardized education to help patients recognize the warning signs of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy and after delivery.
•    Electronic health record-based social needs screening with referrals to community resources.
•    Distribution of home blood pressure cuffs and education on self-monitoring and when to seek medical attention.
•    The Orange Bracelet Program, which helps health care providers quickly identify patients who have recently given birth and may be at increased risk for complications.
•    Mandatory staff education on maternal hypertensive disorders.
•    An Obstetric Emergency Department (OBED) pathway that directs pregnant and postpartum patients to specialized emergency care by board-certified OB/GYN providers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
•    Enhanced language access services to ensure culturally and linguistically appropriate care.

"Improving maternal health begins with understanding the unique needs of our patients and responding with evidence-based, equitable care," said Irina Magidina, MD, Chief, OB/GYN, Saint Mary’s. "By using data to identify disparities and partnering with our community, we're creating lasting improvements that help mothers receive the right care at the right time."

This work resulted in Saint Mary’s achieving 98% race, ethnicity and language (REAL) data collection, exceeding Trinity Health’s internal target of 95%. While the long-term clinical impact is still being tracked, the Saint Mary’s team's efforts have improved staff-to-patient communication, with colleagues reporting more effective conversations with patients about blood pressure monitoring and follow-up. Additionally, there has been marked improvement in monitoring ongoing patient progress, with patients being more receptive to blood pressure cuff use and independent monitoring, helping with earlier identification of hypertension, thereby reducing the overall mortality rate of the disease.

"This work is about more than meeting standards; it’s about ensuring every mother has the opportunity for a safe pregnancy, delivery and postpartum recovery," said Nara Santana, MSN, RN-BC, Clinical Manager, Saint Mary’s Women and Infants Center. "We're committed to continuously learning from our data, listening to our community and building a healthier future for the families we serve."

As part of the Joint Commission’s Knowledge Library, Saint Mary’s will provide accessible information for health care leaders and staff to use as tools and strategies to improve workforce strategy and the safety and well-being of patients. The Knowledge Library contains trusted resources and curated content including resource centers, blogs, news, newsletters and webinars focused on quality, safety and accreditation.

Saint Mary’s will continue to expand its health equity efforts through ongoing monitoring, community partnerships and initiatives that address disparities in both inpatient and outpatient care, reinforcing its commitment to providing compassionate, equitable care for the patients and communities it serves.