August 26, 2025

New OB simulator addresses maternal health disparities while enhancing staff training

Health Equity Fund brings life-saving training to California Hospital Medical Center.

CHMC Foundation board and staff with hospital medical staff and MamaAnne in the Simulation Center

California Hospital Medical Center (CHMC) has welcomed a groundbreaking addition to its health care training repertoire: MamaAnne, a state-of-the-art obstetric simulator funded by CHMC Foundation's Health Equity Fund. This innovative training tool represents a significant step forward in addressing maternal and birthing disparities while ensuring the highest quality care and outcomes for mothers and their babies.

A commitment to health equity

What makes MamaAnne particularly significant is her representation as a woman of color, directly addressing the stark health care disparities facing Black women. The statistics are sobering: According to the CDC, Black women face a maternal mortality rate of 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births—2.6 times higher than white women and the highest rate among all racial groups in the United States.

"This specific simulator will help to train our staff for our vulnerable patient population," explains Christian Cannady, Program Manager for Healthcare Simulation at CHMC. "This focuses on our commitment to health equity."

The power of simulation

MamaAnne and baby simulator MamaAnne offers what traditional training cannot: unlimited practice opportunities. "The Labor and Delivery Unit has (at one time) only so many patients," Cannady points out. "This simulator can give birth every 10 minutes. We can train every learner on every position, every skill, and all within a controlled safe environment."

CHMC’s Simulation Center will use MamaAnne to train staff on high-risk scenarios including postpartum hemorrhage, shoulder dystocia, breech births, maternal cardiac arrest and newborn failure to thrive. The simulator is designed to accommodate training for various medical specialties and can be configured for non-pregnancy scenarios as well.

Comprehensive training for real-world impact

The simulator enables comprehensive training across multiple areas:

Communication: Effective interaction with diverse patients, addressing cultural sensitivities and language barriers
Patient education: Providing culturally appropriate information about pregnancy, labor and postpartum care
Patient assessment: Recognizing and addressing specific health needs of diverse patients, including potential risk factors
Treatment: Delivering culturally competent and individualized care

"This is crucial training for our staff," Cannady notes. "Obstetrics, labor and delivery skills require specialized training utilizing best practices in nursing, and this simulator will enable us to do so."

Training the next generation

CHMC demonstrates its commitment to health care by investing in both current staff and the next generation of providers. Through strategic partnerships with nursing schools—particularly those lacking specialized OB simulation infrastructure—CHMC offers clinical rotation opportunities that enhance training and bridge educational gaps. This initiative not only strengthens the pipeline of future nurses but also reinforces CHMC’s role as a leader in advancing health care education.

Donor support makes the difference

CHMC’s Simulation Center, established through the generosity of Ross University School of Medicine and supported by donors including The LOKER Foundation, provides training across a vast spectrum of learners and medical specialties, from new graduate programs to specialized ultrasound training."This provides greater potential for a positive outcome for our patient population," Cannady emphasizes.

The Health Equity Fund made this transformative addition possible, demonstrating how targeted philanthropic support can address critical health care disparities while enhancing patient care. By bridging the gap between training and real-world application, MamaAnne represents more than just a simulator—she's a symbol of CHMC's commitment to excellence, equity and the safety of every patient who walks through our doors.

Donate to the Health Equity Fund today.