AHA, Epic Roll Out EHR Tools to Address Postpartum Hemorrhage Risk

The toolkit features continuous risk assessment throughout the childbirth and postpartum period, along with embedded decision-support tools tailored to risk categories.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) and Epic have teamed up to add point-of-care tools to Epic’s EHR system.

These tools aim to help detect and manage postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), a major childbirth complication linked to over 11% of maternal deaths in the U.S.

Occurring in 3% to 5% of deliveries, PPH often happens without prior risk indicators, with 40% of cases arising in patients with no known risk factors. The condition can lead to rapid blood loss, organ failure, and in severe cases, death.

As part of this collaboration, Epic’s Stork Obstetrics Information System now includes a dedicated PPH toolkit. The toolkit features continuous risk assessment throughout the childbirth and postpartum period, along with embedded decision-support tools tailored to risk categories. These tools are designed to function within the clinician’s obstetric workflow.

"The American Hospital Association and Epic share a deep commitment to improving health outcomes for moms and babies,” said Chris DeRienzo, M.D., AHA chief physician executive. “This new collaboration amplifies our efforts to drive continuous improvement by sharing evidence-based resources to help reduce this tragic condition.”

The toolkit recommends that risk assessments be completed at admission, the beginning of the second stage of labor, during transfer to postpartum care, and whenever a patient’s condition changes. Patients are classified as low, medium, or high risk, with corresponding clinical guidance for prevention and treatment.

“Every mother deserves a safe childbirth experience,” said Jackie Gerhart, M.D., chief medical officer at Epic. “We’re working together to deliver proven, point-of-care tools that help clinicians prevent and manage postpartum hemorrhage.”

Hospitals using these tools have reported improvements. Baptist Health in Arkansas implemented the PPH toolkit, including a maternal emergency narrator and a blood loss calculator, in three phases, with staff undergoing hemorrhage drills to enhance readiness.

WakeMed Health & Hospitals in North Carolina also adopted the toolkit, integrating the AWHONN risk assessment and blood loss calculator into its EHR. The health system, which recorded 9,915 births in FY 2024, has observed a consistent decline in obstetric hemorrhage rates since 2022.

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