This summer I was lucky enough to intern with the systems change team at the Irth App. The Irth App is a part of Narrative Nation, a multi-media communication organization focused on improving health equity through centering Black and brown voices. The Irth App is an innovative app centering Black and brown birthing people, healthcare staff, and partners. It is similar to Yelp but for birthing centers and hospitals. The data Irth receives is used so Black and brown birthing people can find the best care and for hospital improvement.
Irth asks questions that other evaluations do not. I would look at different cities or hospitals and analyze data on the top negative behaviors experienced by birthing people or if they felt heard by their providers in their appointments. Irth also provides spaces for reviewers to provide their suggestions on what would have improved their experience. It was a great learning experience to work with both qualitative and quantitative data.
This summer I also worked on creating proposals for different systems change initiatives. The first proposal I worked on was to create a community group to review our data and provide solutions to hospitals on how to create more equitable care. In partnership with the systems change team, I created pilot program proposals for a New York cohort and Los Angeles Cohort. Our first cohort should meet by the end of the year.
When I had been looking at our qualitative reviews, I noticed a trend of reviews mentioning that more people need to know their rights during birth. With this problem in mind, I created a two pronged proposal for a Know Your Rights Campaign. The first prong focuses on blog posts for our community board about what rights patients have, what to do if their rights are violated, definitions on different concepts like obstetric racism and informed consent. We currently have eight posts and community members bringing in their own knowledge. The second part of the proposal is a Know Your Rights Webinar.
I am so grateful for my experience this summer with Irth. I have learned so much from my team. I appreciated that they gave me the space to figure things out on my own while also feeling incredibly supported if I needed help. The work that they do is so incredibly important and I am honored to have been a small part of it.