Improving care around the world
July, 2012
Dr. Jody Lori is on an inspiring journey as she works in countries throughout Africa to improve prenatal care and find new ways to reduce infant and maternal mortality rates.
After working internationally for more than a decade, Dr. Jody Lori, Clinical Assistant Professor at the U-M School of Nursing, understands first hand that one small change in the way healthcare is delivered can have a huge impact in people’s lives.
Currently, in 2012, Dr. Lori is working on projects in Ghana and Liberia to reduce maternal mortality disparities globally. One of the biggest challenges in Africa today is women’s access to skilled care before and after giving birth.
“In many of these areas there are no roads or vehicles. Many times women are being carried in hammocks or wheel barrows if they’ve experienced complications, so they’re choosing to have their babies at home,” said Dr. Lori. “The infant mortality rate in these countries is extremely high.”
Dr. Lori is conducting a comparison study of five communities that have built maternity waiting homes in close proximity to five rural health clinics with skilled providers delivering care, versus five communities without the waiting homes.
The waiting homes are designed for women to live in before they go into labor, giving them access to care during and after the delivery.
Dr. Lori is also working in Ghana on a NIH Fogarty grant to develop a new model of prenatal care for women. She is developing a curriculum that providers can use to service patients at their four customary prenatal visits.
“Providers can have more than two hundred people in the waiting rooms at any given time for their prenatal visits,” said Dr. Lori. “Many of the patients are receiving the same information, so we are looking at creating picture cards that will provide care in groups based on their babies’ gestational age. This will allow for more efficient patient care.”
Some of Dr. Lori’s most satisfying work has been the opportunity to have students join her on her visits to Africa. “It’s so rewarding to take students with me and see the impact it has on them,” she said. “It’s really an eye-opening experience for them and changes the way they look at things when they come back.”
“I’m really proud of the work I am doing in Africa,” Dr. Lori continued. “There is such a need in the areas I’m working in. It’s easy to see the results of your work making a difference, and that is so phenomenal.”
