The Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative (FPQC), which is based in the Chiles Center for Healthy Mothers and Babies and is part of the USF College of Public Health, has won the Sapphire Award from the Florida Blue Foundation for its effort to improve health outcomes for mothers and infants through quality care.

The FPQC team includes, back row from left are: Doug Hardy, Winnie Palmer neonatologist and FPQC Neonatal Consultant and MOM Medical Lead; Karen Harris, ACOG District XII Chair, FPQC Obstetrical Consultant, ACT Medical Co-Lead; Annette Phelps, FPQC Nursing Consultant; Lori Reeves, March of Dimes Regional Program Services Director, FPQC Steering Committee Member; Karen Bruder, USF COM, FPQC Obstetrical Consultant and ACT Medical Co-Lead; Judette Louis, USF COM, FPQC Obstetrical Consultant and HIP Medical Lead; Kris Albers, FDOH, FPQC Steering Committee Member; and Yuri Sebastiao, FPQC Graduate Assistant. Seated from left are: Maya Balakrishnan, USF COM, FPQC QI Director; Linda Detman; William Sappenfield, USF COPH and FPQC and the Chiles Center; Emily Bronson; and Charlie Mahan.

The FPQC was selected from among 120 nominees to win the top award in organization category and will receive $50,000 and was presented with the award April 21 in Orlando. A video highlighting their work was shown at the awards presentation and features many familiar USF faces.

The award helps validate the work and mission of the FPQC, said William M. Sappenfield, MD, MPH, CPH, professor and chair of the Department of Community and Family Health in the USF College of Public Health.

“The Sapphire Award demonstrates credibility of the reach the FPQC has in the eyes of others,” said Dr. Sappenfield, who co-directs FPQC and directs the Chiles Center. “The award money will go to support current quality initiatives the will help us have an even greater impact on the lives of mothers and infants.”

The USF-based FPQC works to provide the best health outcomes possible for mothers and infants through receiving high quality evidence-based perinatal care. Its mission is to advance perinatal health care quality and patient safety for all of Florida’s mothers and infants through the collaboration of all FPQC stakeholders in the development of joint quality improvement initiatives, the advancement of data-driven best practices and the promotion of education and training.

Accepting the Sapphire Award are, from left, Dr. William Sappenfield, Linda Detman and Emily Bronson.