737 - Improving Care of Families of Infants Exposed to Substances Prenatally: Results from a Hospital-Based Virtual Learning Collaborative

Publication Number: 1714.737

Fatimah A. Abioye, American Academy of Pediatrics, Chicago, IL, United States; Beth Frank, American Academy of Pediatrics, Itasca, IL, United States; Linda Paul, American Academy of Pediatrics, Itasca, IL, United States; Erin Kelly, American Academy of Pediatrics, Itasca, IL, United States

Background: The rise of substance use during pregnancy has resulted in increasing numbers of infants with prenatal substance exposure. Pregnant women who use substances often face barriers accessing supportive care and resources due to stigma and fragmented care delivery. Families are often discharged from hospitals without adequate connections to community support and continuing care.

Objective: The American Academy of Pediatrics partnered with 8 hospitals for a virtual learning collaborative (VLC) to strengthen discharge planning processes for families affected by perinatal substance use. The objectives of the VLC were to: 1) increase knowledge of discharge planning activities to facilitate a safe transition from hospital to home for the mother-infant dyad, 2) improve communication approaches to create a therapeutic alliance with mothers with substance use disorder (SUD) and/or who are in recovery, and 3) increase self-efficacy in recommended approaches to screening, intervention, and referral to community-based services for women with SUD and/or who are in recovery.

Design/Methods: Multidisciplinary teams from 8 hospitals were recruited to participate in the VLC from February-August 2025. Teams participated in 6 learning/testing periods. Each period lasted 1 month and incorporated QI work, self-study, team collaboration, chart reviews, and expert-led webinars. Data was submitted at 3 timepoints (baseline, midpoint, and endline) for 14 QI measures. A QI coach engaged hospital teams throughout the project, providing feedback on chart reviews, process improvements, and QI methodologies.

Results: Eighty pediatric providers from 8 hospitals participated in the VLC. Teams collectively met or surpassed proposed targets for 13 of 14 QI measures at the final data point, including a 25% increase or more on 7 measures. Results revealed improvements in hospital discharge planning processes for families exposed to perinatal substance use. Documented successes included developing new resources for families; developing a shared definition of warm handoff and processes to implement successful warm handoffs to community providers; strengthening internal communication/collaboration to better serve families; and engaging families and other stakeholders such as the state’s perinatal quality collaborative.

Conclusion(s): Virtual learning collaboratives that incorporate educational and QI activities can be an effective way to educate providers, reduce stigma, and facilitate increased collaboration to improve maternal-infant outcomes.