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Strengthen the Evidence for Maternal and Child Health Programs

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Established Evidence Results

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Below are articles that support specific interventions to advance MCH National Performance Measures (NPMs) and Standardized Measures (SMs). Most interventions contain multiple components as part of a coordinated strategy/approach.

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Displaying records 1 through 3 (3 total).

Hein HA, & Burmeister LF. The effect of ten years of regionalized perinatal health care in Iowa, U.S.A. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 1986;21(1):33-48.

Evidence Rating: Emerging Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): HOSPITAL, Development/Improvement of Services, Continuing Education of Hospital Providers, Needs Assessment, POPULATION-BASED SYSTEMS, INTER-HOSPITAL SYSTEMS, Maternal/In-Utero Transport Systems, Agreement for Level III Hospital to Accept All Patients, STATE, Funding Support, Perinatal Committees/Councils

Intervention Description: A major objective was to develop and maintain a regionalized system of care. Such a system has been developed but differed from traditional systems by using regional level II centers. Iowa's low population density necessitated this modification.

Intervention Results: Level I hospitals currently manage low-risk patients and report very low mortality rates. Level II facilities receive high-risk referrals, but selective referral occurs since the tertiary center accounts for a disproportionate number of fetal and neonatal deaths, and births weighting less than 1500 g.

Conclusion: Other regions may benefit from similar approaches to development of regionalized systems of care and evaluation of the same.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest

Setting: All Iowa hospitals Pretest: 129 level I, 11 level II, and one level III hospital Posttest: 118 level I, 11 level II, and one level III hospital

Population of Focus: All infants born at ≥20 weeks GA and ≤1500 gm

Data Source: Data from Iowa State Health Department matched birth and infant death certificates.

Sample Size: Pretest (n= 432) Posttest (n= 343)

Age Range: Not specified

Access Abstract

Hein HA. Evaluation of a rural perinatal care system. J Pediatr. 1980;66(4):540-546.

Evidence Rating: Emerging Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): HOSPITAL, Development/Improvement of Services, Continuing Education of Hospital Providers, Needs Assessment, POPULATION-BASED SYSTEMS, INTER-HOSPITAL SYSTEMS, Maternal/In-Utero Transport Systems, Agreement for Level III Hospital to Accept All Patients, Perinatal Committees/Councils, STATE

Intervention Description: A voluntary system of regionalized perinatal health care was developed in Iowa to provide accessible services for a rural population.

Intervention Results: The intervention in Iowa focused on increasing both level III and level II VLBW births due to population density concerns in Iowa. Among all VLBW infants, there were changes in the birth location distribution. Of these infants, there was a statistically significant increase in percentage born in level III hospitals from 6.7% to 22.6% (p<0.05)1 and an increase in births in level II hospitals from 26.9% to 35.6%. The percentage born in level I centers decreased from 68.2% to 41.8%.

Conclusion: The concept of a mortality risk ratio (neonatal deaths/<1,500 gm live births) is suggested as a method of reviewing mortality data from the perspective of risks inherent in the population served.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest

Setting: All Iowa hospitals Pretest: 130 level I, 10 level II, and one level III hospital Posttest: 122 level I, 10 level II, and one level III hospital

Population of Focus: All live births <1500 gm

Data Source: Data from Iowa State Health Department matched birth and infant death certificates.

Sample Size: Pretest (n= 440) Posttest (n= 402)

Age Range: Not specified

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Hoekstra R, Fangman, J., Perkett, E., Brasel, D., & Knox, G.E. Regionalization of Perinatal Care: Results of a Cooperative Community Based Program. Minn Med. 1981;64(10):637-640.

Evidence Rating: Emerging Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): HOSPITAL, Continuing Education of Hospital Providers, Peer-Review of Provider Decisions, POPULATION-BASED SYSTEMS, INTER-HOSPITAL SYSTEMS, Maternal/In-Utero Transport Systems, Consultation Systems (Inter-Hospital Systems), Consultation Systems (Hospital), Agreement for Level III Hospital to Accept All Patients, Medical Staff Integration

Intervention Description: Not available

Intervention Results: After the intervention, there was a statistically significant decrease in the number of VLBW infants born in a level II hospital (p<0.01).

Conclusion: Not available

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest

Setting: Minnesota: Abbott-Northwestern/ Minneapolis Children’s Perinatal Center and Fairview-Southdale Hospital (Level II)

Population of Focus: All births at level II hospital

Data Source: Data source not provided.

Sample Size: Pretest (n= 2,573) Posttest (n= 2,722)

Age Range: Not specified

Access Abstract

The MCH Digital Library is one of six special collections at Geogetown University, the nation's oldest Jesuit institution of higher education. It is supported in part by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under award number U02MC31613, MCH Advanced Education Policy with an award of $700,000/year. The library is also supported through foundation and univerity funding. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.