SPARK—Supporting Postpartum Access, Recovery, and Knowledge—is a hospital-based quality improvement initiative designed to improve care during the transition for birth hospitalization to postpartum discharge. Built on an AIM (Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health) Patient Safety Bundle, SPARK supports hospitals in implementing bundled, evidence-based practices that ensure safer transitions from hospital to home. Through one-on-one coaching, collaborative learning, and data-driven tools, SPARK helps hospitals close gaps in postpartum care, improve continuity, and reduce maternal complications after birth.

Through active engagement in SPARK—one of CPCQC’s quality improvement initiatives—hospitals can meet the quality improvement requirement set by Colorado Senate Bill 24-175.

Postpartum care is a vital but often overlooked part of the maternal health journey. According to Colorado’s 2020 Maternal Mortality Review Committee report, 53% of maternal deaths occur between 7 and 365 days after birth—and 89% of those are preventable. These outcomes highlight the urgent need for improved systems of care after childbirth. SPARK focuses on addressing this vulnerable period by promoting seamless care coordination, better education, and more inclusive, patient-centered practices.