Campbell MK, Chance GW, Natale R, Dodman N, Halinda E, Turner L. Is perinatal care in southwestern Ontario regionalized? CMAJ. 1991;144(3):305-312.
Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): HOSPITAL, Continuing Education of Hospital Providers, POPULATION-BASED SYSTEMS, INTER-HOSPITAL SYSTEMS, Maternal/In-Utero Transport Systems, Follow-Up Given On Transferred Patients, STATE, Perinatal Committees/Councils, NICU Bed Registry/Electronic Bulletin Board
Intervention Description: To determine whether perinatal care in southwestern Ontario is regionalized, to identify trends over time in referral patterns, to quantify trends in perinatal death rates and to identify trends in perinatal death rates that give evidence of regionalization.
Intervention Results: Between 1982 and 1985 the antenatal transfer rate increased from 2.2% to 2.8% (p less than 0.003). The proportion of births of infants weighing 500 to 1499 g increased from 49% to 69% at the level III hospital. The neonatal transfer rate increased from 26.2% to 47.9% (p less than 0.05) for infants in this birth-weight category and decreased from 10.2% to 7.1% (p less than 0.03) for infants weighing 1500 to 2499 g. The death rate among infants of low birth weight was lowest among those born at the level III centre and decreased at all centres between 1982 and 1985.
Conclusion: Perinatal care in southwestern Ontario is regionalized and not centralized; regionalization in southwestern Ontario increased between 1982 and 1985.
Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest
Setting: Southwestern Ontario One level III, one modified level III and 30 level II or I
Population of Focus: Births greater than 500 gm
Data Source: Data obtained from hospital delivery room books and for 31 of the 32 hospitals, from hospital charts of women and neonates.
Sample Size: Pretest: 1.17% (n= 194) Posttest: 1.31% (n= 211) Infants born weighing 500-1499 gm
Age Range: Not specified
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