What is FIMR?           
The Escambia County Healthy Start Coalition is honored to serve as the local Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) team for Escambia County, in collaboration with The National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention. FIMR strives to address the factors and issues that affect infant and fetal deaths by reviewing individual cases to understand the systemic issues in Escambia County.                             

The review process consists of medical and social record audits, family interviews [to not only obtain information, but to help ensure families are supported after a loss], and the creation of a de-identified Case Summary. A Case Review Team [consisting of medical and community professionals] meets monthly to review and analyze the Case Summaries and makes recommendations for systemic level changes in our local community. A Community Action Group then works to implement the recommendations of the Case Review Team.

The Operating Principles of Fetal Infant Mortality Review ​

• Infant mortality is the most sensitive index we possess of social welfare (Julia Lathrop, Children’s Bureau, 1912 – 1920)
• The death of an infant is a community problem, and is too multidimensional for responsibility to rest in any one place
• Fetal and infant deaths are sentinel events that illustrate system and resource issues.
• FIMR’s two tiered process enhances program effectiveness
• The Maternal interview includes the voices of others who have lost an infant and offers information not available through routine quantitative methods
• Reviews lead to identification of factors contributing to fetal and infant mortality
• Review should focus on prevention and should lead to effective recommendations that improve the systems of care and resources for women, infants, and families

Source: https://www.ncfrp.org/fimr-process/fimr-principles/

Why is the FIMR program vital to Escambia County Florida?
Unfortunately, Escambia County has a relatively high Infant Mortality Rate at 7.6 infant deaths per 1,000 live births [2017]. This is higher than the state of Florida that is 6.1 deaths per 1,000 live births. Escambia County has one of the highest Infant Mortality Rates in the state.
Through an investigation and review of the diverse factors that contribute to individual deaths, the FIMR team can uncover gaps or needs in Escambia County that may contribute to these infant deaths and make effective recommendations, tailored to the unique needs and concerns of our community. Since its inception in 2014, programs launched by FIMR include a Safe Sleep Campaign, speaking to the specific unsafe sleep environments witnessed in Escambia County and a bereavement training program aimed at healthcare professionals working with Bereaved families who have lost infants.

​How can I get involved with the Escambia County FIMR program?
For information on how you can become involved with FIMR, contact Claire Kirchharr at research@healthystart.info and (850) 530-1955 or the Escambia County Healthy Start Coalition at (850) 696-2291.