Founder and CEO, Institute for Perinatal Quality Improvement, LLC
Debra Bingham, DrPH, RN, FAAN, is the Chief Executive Officer for the Institute for Perinatal Quality Improvement (PQI), perinatal consultant, and a retired Associate Professor of Healthcare Quality and Safety from the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON). Bingham is working to expand the utilization of implementation science and improvement science theories, frameworks, methods and tools in an effort to eliminate preventable perinatal morbidity and mortality and eliminate perinatal racial disparities. Prior to founding PQI and working at UMSON Bingham was the first executive director of the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC) where she helped create and launch programs that contributed to a 50% reduction in maternal mortality in the state of CA including the first Obstetric Hemorrhage and Elimination of Elective Deliveries Prior to 39 Weeks toolkits. She then went on to become a Vice President at the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) where she co-developed and led the Post-Partum Hemorrhage Project, the Postbirth Warning Signs Program, and the Maternal Fetal Index. In 2015 she was awarded AWHONN’s Caring Award. At UMSON she was the principal investigator of the Advancing Implementation Science (AdvISE) grant funded by the Maryland Commission of Higher Education. The AdvISE grant expanded the utilization of improvement science theories frameworks, models, and QI methods and tools within UMSON’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) curriculum. While she worked at UMSON over 500 DNP students benefited from her expertise. In addition, the education she provided to over 100 faculty who taught in DNP courses at UMSON and other university sustains and expands Bingham’s impact and legacy. At PQI Bingham developed, co-authored, and launched the SPEAK UP Against Racism Action Pathway that includes Implicit and Explicit Racial Bias Education (live virtual education and on-demand modules). Over 1200 individuals have completed the SPEAK UP Champion education. She also created and taught PQI’s Implementing Perinatal Quality Improvement course, and co-authored and launched the innovative Intermittent Auscultation Simulation-Based on-line education. Bingham also provides consultation to various types of organizations. For example, she has consulted for organizations such as state departments of health, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, schools of nursing, and the March of Dimes. She serves also lends her expertise by serving as a member of national expert panels. She is the author of numerous peer-reviewed publications and toolkits. She and her husband are the proud parents of four children, 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.