Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR)
Infant mortality is a
long term issue, not just a momentary crisis
Fetal and
Infant Mortality
Review
(FIMR) is a community-owned, action-oriented
process aimed at improving service systems
and resources for women, infants and
families.
The FIMR
process brings a community team together to
examine confidential, de-identified cases of
infant deaths. The purpose of these reviews
is to understand how local social, economic,
public health, educational, environmental
and safety issues relate to the tragedy of
infant loss.
Once the
team completes a case review,
recommendations for specific system
improvements are made to a Community Action
Team (CAT). In Genesee County, our CAT is
Priority Children. These recommendations are
then forwarded to existing groups where they
can be implemented.
As
service systems and resources continue to
improve through FIMR, the future for local
women, infants and families will be better.
(Source: National Fetal and Infant
Mortality Review Program, July 2001, The
American College of Obstetrics and
Gynecologists.)
The
Genesee County FIMR program was initiated in
1998 by the Genesee County Health
Department. Since the implementation of the
program a number of recommendations have
been put into action: “Face Up to Wake Up”
Safe Sleep Campaign, a uniform prenatal
assessment form (Prenatal Risk Assessment
Tool, “PRAT”), “Always Alone in a Crib of
Their Own” education campaign, and Quarterly
Perinatal Morbidity and Mortality Reviews.
To find
out more about the Genesee County FIMR
program call (810) 257-3134. You can also
visit the National FIMR website at
http://www.acog.org/goto/nfimr . |
