What are maternal mortality interviews?

The Maternal Mortality Review Team (MMRT) reviews maternal mortality cases to identify contributing factors, (such as lack of access to care) to prevent future deaths. The MMRT gets some of this information from interviewing the healthcare team, but it isn’t always enough. Interviewing people from your loved one’s personal life helps provide the MMRT with more context around the death, which aids the review.

Why be a maternal mortality informant?

The more one can share about the context around which the death occurred, the more likely we are to uncover areas for healthcare and systems improvement. This information highlights opportunities for growth. With your help, future maternal mortality events may be avoided.

How will my interview process go?

A trained interviewer will ask you questions for about an hour and a half about your loved one’s health, family, and experiences in using healthcare and social services. The interview can take place at your preferred time and location (remote or in-person at the place of your choosing). The interview will be audio–recorded. Note: if you’re taking legal action due to your loved one’s death, we cannot interview you until all legal matters are settled.

How is my information protected?

Your personal information and what you share in the interview is kept confidential outside of the review process staff and consultants. Confidentiality and anonymity is protected to the fullest extent permitted by law. However, danger to children and adults must be disclosed to authorities to prevent further harm.

How do I participate?

This is an entirely voluntary process; you do not have to be interviewed or answer any questions you do not wish to answer, and you can end the interview at any time. There is no payment for the interview, nor is there any penalty for refusing or ending the interview.

Informants may sign the consent form after having the purpose of the interview fully explained to them. To learn more, email Melanie Rouse, PhD at the OCME (Melanie.rouse@vdh.virginia.gov). Or, click the button below for the interest form and apply to be a maternal mortality informant today.