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Qualitycast North: Dr. Magda Du Plessis talks collaborative maternity models

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Dr. Magda Du Plessis
In this episode of Northern Health’s Physician Quality Improvement podcast, Dr. Du Plessis discusses her work to improve maternity care in Dawson Creek.

The Northern Health Physician Quality Improvement (PQI) podcast Qualitycast North continues with its second season.

Dr. Magda Du Plessis is passionate about maternal care, providing the best patient care possible, and quality improvement. She is part of the multidisciplinary team at the Chickadee Maternity Collaborative in Dawson Creek, BC, that includes physicians, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, and administrative staff.

Dr. Du Plessis led their team through a quality improvement project that aimed to have 100 per cent of eligible pregnant patients in the South Peace registered with the Chickadee Maternity Collaborative. The goal was to ensure comprehensive, wrap-around care, while also seeking to decrease the rate of caesarean sections and patient safety events. With support from a physician quality improvement coach and a practice support coach, and the use quality improvement tools, the team met their goals: Within the first year of operation 100 per cent of eligible patients were registered within the collaborative, the caesarean section rate dropped from 33 per cent to 25 per cent, and there were zero patient safety reports.

In episode 6, season 2 (released March 10, 2023) of the Qualitycast North podcast, Dr. Du Plessis shares her thoughts on this project and credits their success to teamwork, coaching, and the passion of the team. While there were challenges, patients ultimately appreciated the new, team-based, collaborative model of care that included longer appointment times and supportive discussions throughout the reproductive health experience.

She also shares how she and her family enjoy all the recreational activities the South Peace has to offer; from fishing, to skiing, to snowmobiling. You can listen to the episode on the NHPQI website, or wherever you get your podcasts.