2017 - Our History 2017

  • Shah launches Delivery Decisions Initiative to develop an intervention that reduces unnecessary C-sections.
  • BetterBirth study in New England Journal of Medicine, co-authored by Semrau and Gawande, demonstrates large-scale broad- based improvement in facility-based care, but improvements are insufficient to reduce maternal and perinatal mortality.
  • South Carolina Safe Surgery program demonstrates a 22% reduction in postoperative deaths among hospitals that complete implementation of the program.
  • Safe Childbirth Checklist implementation in Gobabis District Hospital in Namibia reduces perinatal mortality from 22 deaths per 1,000 deliveries to 13.8 deaths and maternal mortality to zero for two years.
  • JAMA Surgery study co-authored by Shah shows women giving birth by C-section have higher risk of needing a hysterectomy later in life, and face greater risk of complications during a hysterectomy.
  • The online OR Crisis Checklists Implementation Toolkit debuts at the 2017 American Society of Anesthesiologists.
  • National patient safety leader Dr. Evan Benjamin becomes new chief medical officer.
  • Mass General surgeon Alex Haynes becomes director of Safe Surgery Program.
  • Palliative care physician Erik Fromme becomes new director of Serious Illness Care Program.
  • Serious Illness Care study demonstrates success of serious illness conversations in a high-risk primary care setting.
  • Serious Illness Care Community of Practice surpasses 1,000 members.
  • Boston innovation leader Nic Encina joins as first chief science and technology officer.
  • The Estonian Health Insurance Fund, the World Bank, and the Primary Health Care team conclude successful pilot program for enhanced care management in Estonia.
  • Ariadne Labs staff visit Costa Rica to determine how the country created a successful primary health care model. The case study, Building a Thriving Primary Health Care System: The Story of Costa Rica, is published.