OHA Remembers Dr. Jay Iams
The Ohio Hospital Association joins colleagues across Ohio and the nation in mourning the loss of Dr. Jay D. Iams, an internationally renowned physician, researcher and champion for maternal and infant health.
Dr. Iams passed away Aug. 19 following a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was a tireless advocate for improving health outcomes for mothers and babies. Dr. Iams was among the earliest and most influential physician leaders to support and advance OHA’s efforts to address infant mortality across Ohio with our hospitals.
“Jay was an incredible supporter of OHA and our hospitals’ efforts to reduce infant mortality, a clinical expert of national renown and an invaluable personal mentor when I stepped into the maternal and infant health space,” said Ryan Everett, OHA’s director of health strategy, who leads OHA’s continued efforts in maternal and infant health. “Ohio was lucky to have Dr. Iams as a leader in our state, and we look ahead to how we can honor his life through our continued efforts to improve health outcomes for Ohio families.”
A nationally and internationally recognized expert in maternal-fetal medicine and the prevention of preterm birth, Dr. Iams dedicated more than four decades of his career to improving maternal and infant health. Before retiring, he held the Frederick Zuspan Professorship in Obstetrics and Gynecology at The Ohio State University and authored more than 350 peer-reviewed publications. His leadership extended across numerous national organizations, including serving as president of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine and the American Gynecological & Obstetrical Society.
Dr. Iams helped create the Ohio Perinatal Quality Collaborative, or OPQC, which launched in 2008 and has partnered with OHA on numerous initiatives aimed at improving birth outcomes. Through collaborative efforts focused on issues such as reducing early elective deliveries and advancing evidence-based maternity care, he helped elevate OPQC into a model that other states have sought to replicate.
OHA’s work addressing infant mortality has benefited from the dedication of many committed leaders over the years, including Dr. Iams and other pioneers in the field. His career intersected with numerous longstanding OHA partners and champions of maternal and infant health, including Dr. Steven Gabbe, a former OHA Board chair, and Dr. Patricia Gabbe, who helped advise on OHA’s early infant mortality initiatives.
