Infant Mortality Research Partnership (IMRP)

Focus: Maternal, Infant, and Family Health
Expertise: Data Solutions and Visualization | Data Science and Engineering | Technical Assistance

Overview

Beginning in 2016, the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) and the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) jointly sponsored the Infant Mortality Research Partnership (IMRP) to address Ohio's need for rigorous research and evidence-based interventions to improve maternal and infant health outcomes, particularly among underserved populations. Over multiple phases, experts from The Ohio State University's (OSU) College of Medicine, the Ohio Colleges of Medicine Government Resource Center (GRC), and OSU Research Information Technology have collaborated to develop geospatial analytics tools, predictive models, clinical risk calculators, and an Epic electronic health record (EHR)-integrated toolkit that support clinicians, health systems, and policymakers in identifying and addressing risks associated with adverse maternal and infant outcomes.

 

Notable accomplishments of the IMRP include:

  1. Development of predictive models for infant mortality (IM), preterm birth (PTB), severe maternal morbidity (SMM), postpartum visit completion, postpartum medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) continuation, and postpartum depression (PPD).
  2. Creation and deployment of the Medicaid Perinatal Risk Toolkit (MPRT), an Epic EHR-integrated platform that houses risk calculators for PTB, SMM, postpartum MOUD continuation, and PPD, as well as the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Form (PRAF-EHR). MPRT has been integrated into 17 hospitals and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) across Ohio.
  3. Completion of a clinical trial evaluating the use of the PTB risk calculator in clinical practice and shared decision-making.
  4. Development of a geospatial analytics tool that enables state agencies and local communities to identify high-risk areas and target resources and services more effectively.

 

The IMRP Project Spans Multiple Phases

Phase I (2016–2017)

Phase I leveraged a diverse array of data sources and analytic methods to answer three overarching questions:

  1. Where in Ohio should interventions be targeted to reduce infant mortality?
  2. Whom should those interventions target (i.e., which women are at highest risk)?
  3. How should interventions be implemented, and what impact are they likely to have?

This work engaged subject matter experts from multiple academic institutions and partner organizations, including the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Mid-Ohio Foodbank, OSU Wexner Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Kent State University, the University of Cincinnati, and Wright State University.

Phase II (2018–2019)

Phase II focused on the development of predictive models and geospatial analytics to better understand factors associated with adverse maternal and infant outcomes. Particular emphasis was placed on social, behavioral, structural, and institutional factors that contribute to risk. During this phase, GRC continued to provide project management, data management, analytical, infrastructure, and evaluation support to advance the Partnership's goals.

Phase III (2020–2025)

Phase III focused on operationalizing the findings and tools developed during the earlier phases of the project. Working closely with information technology experts and healthcare stakeholders, the project team expanded the IMRP Web Mapping Tool and developed the infant mortality and preterm birth risk calculators, a patient-facing mobile application, and the Curated Ohio Resource Database. This phase also included integration of the PRAF-EHR into MPRT and expansion of the platform across hospital systems throughout Ohio.

Phase IV (2022–2025)

Phase IV extended the work of earlier phases by refining and evaluating existing tools while expanding implementation across additional healthcare systems. During this phase, the IMRP team enhanced the PTB risk calculator, incorporated prenatal severe maternal morbidity models into MPRT, and developed a patient-friendly version of the PTB risk calculator to support shared decision-making between patients and providers.

Phase V (2023–June 2026)

Phase V built upon previous project accomplishments through the development of new predictive models focused on the postpartum period. These efforts included models for postpartum visit completion, medication for opioid use disorder continuation, postpartum depression, and postpartum severe maternal morbidity. The models were incorporated into MPRT to support clinical decision-making, care coordination, and more efficient transmission of risk factor information within clinical workflows.

Ongoing IMRP Work (July 2026–Present)

Current IMRP efforts continue to advance and expand the tools, models, and implementation strategies developed throughout the project. Key activities include development and integration of the Report of Pregnancy (ROP) into MPRT, execution of quality improvement studies to evaluate and refine the use of risk calculators in clinical practice, and site visits with healthcare organizations to support broader adoption and integration of IMRP tools into clinical workflows. The project also includes ongoing updates to predictive models to maintain clinical relevance and accuracy, as well as continued expansion of MPRT to additional healthcare sites across Ohio. Collectively, these efforts support the translation of research into practice, strengthen care coordination and clinical decision-making, and increase the reach and impact of IMRP innovations statewide.