The Tulsa Fetal and Infant Mortality Review project is designed to enhance the health and well-being of women, infants, and families while working to reduce infant mortality.
The Tulsa Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (TFIMR) project’s goal is to bring community members together to examine and improve the social, economic, safety, cultural and health system factors that impact infant mortality.
Through TFIMR, the community becomes experts in planning locally appropriate policies and specific interventions to better serve families in the community.
TFIMR currently reviews certain losses defined by a specific case criterion both within Tulsa County and seven neighboring counties: Rogers, Creek, Osage, Okmulgee, Pawnee, Wagoner and Washington.
The program is a collaborative effort of the Tulsa Health Department, the Oklahoma State Department of Health and the Tulsa Healthy Start Initiative. The Tulsa Fetal and Infant Mortality Program is funded by Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, administered by the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Family Health Services Division, Maternal and Child Health Service. View more information about the Maternal and Child Health Service.
TFIMR’s Role
Infant mortality, or the death of a baby before their first birthday, is a tragedy not only for parents and the family but to the community. The infant mortality rate is an important marker of the overall health of a society, which means it is a community issue that needs community driven solutions.
TFIMR Objectives
There are four fundamental parts to the cycle of improvement used in the FIMR process: data collection/home interviews, case review, community action and systems changes.
Abstractors collect information for certain individual cases of fetal and infant loss. Information from physician and hospital records, family interviews, prenatal visit records, and more, are brought together to provide as much as possible, a holistic view of the loss.
A TFIMR Community Specialist is available to schedule a private interview with families that have experienced loss to share their valuable voice and provide critical feedback. All questions are subject to the family’s desire to answer and privacy is of upmost importance.
Call our Community Specialist, Rita Williams if you have questions about the home interview process or to schedule an interview at 918-595-4252
All information collected from case reviews and interviews are de-identified. Prior to 2019 all information from TFIMR reviews were entered into the Tulsa TFIMR database, and since 2020, all information is provided to the National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention’s database. Switching to the national database allows TFIMR to have comparable nationwide data, access to expert case review guidance and increases conversations about what is working in other communities. To learn more about the National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention visit https://ncfrp.org/.
The TFIMR Case Review Team is comprised of key partners that examine data and interview information collected for selected cases. Through this review process the CRT identifies barriers to care, trends in service delivery, and produces yearly recommendations to improve policies and systems that affect women, infant and families.
Interested in making a difference and becoming a CRT member: Contact MCH@tulsa-health.org
The TFIMR Community Action Team (CAT) receives the CRT’s locally driven recommendations and puts them into action. The CAT inspires community change by becoming experts in the knowledge of local service delivery systems and the community resources available to women, infants, and families. The CAT will assist in the planning, implementation, and assessments of community interventions to support system change.
The team meets in-person at the Tulsa Health Department North Regional Health and Wellness Center on the third Tuesday of every month from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. Light snacks provided.
Interested in making a difference and becoming a CAT member: Contact MCH@tulsa-health.org.
If you are a parent or guardian who has experienced child loss, we offer our deepest sympathy. Please know that there is support and help for you and your family. Select a resource below or call a Tulsa Health Department Maternal and Child Health Outreach social worker at 918-595-4252 to learn more or get help.
Visit Support Groups:
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We have 10 locations across Tulsa County that offer a variety of services to help you and your family stay healthy.
