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Kianpour F. [The Effect of Service Concentration on Outcome Quality in Obstetrics Departments - An Empirical Analysis of Newborn Mortality in German Hospitals]. DAS GESUNDHEITSWESEN 2024. [PMID: 39053639 DOI: 10.1055/a-2373-6769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
The effect of service concentration on outcome quality of inpatient services in the hospital sector is debated, and is particularly important in the field of obstetrics. The aim of this article was to investigate the influence of volume-outcome factors and competitive economic parameters on the quality of outcomes in obstetric departments of German hospitals. In this study, structural and performance data on 412 German hospitals in 2021 were analyzed with a quantitative research approach. To test the hypotheses, a polynomial multiple regression model with a total of eleven independent variables was estimated. Newborn mortality was used as an indicator of outcome quality in obstetrics departments. Contrary to expectations, the competitive economic parameters that are important for births play a rather subordinate role, while strong empirical evidence was found for volume-outcome relationships. The results of this study suggest that positive quality effects of service concentrations also predominate in the field of obstetrics and thus provide evidence in support of the forthcoming hospital reform in Germany.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Kianpour
- Betriebswirtschaftliches Institut, Abteilung I: Lehrstuhl für Innovations- & Dienstleistungsmanagement, Universität Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
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Fumagalli S, Nespoli A, Panzeri M, Pellegrini E, Ercolanoni M, Vrabie PS, Leoni O, Locatelli A. Intrapartum Quality of Care among Healthy Women: A Population-Based Cohort Study in an Italian Region. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 21:629. [PMID: 38791843 PMCID: PMC11121066 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21050629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Although the quality of care during childbirth is a maternity service's goal, less is known about the impact of the birth setting dimension on provision of care, defined as evidence-based intrapartum midwifery practices. This study's aim was to investigate the impact of hospital birth volume (≥1000 vs. <1000 births/year) on intrapartum midwifery care and perinatal outcomes. We conducted a population-based cohort study on healthy pregnant women who gave birth between 2018 and 2022 in Lombardy, Italy. A total of 145,224 (41.14%) women were selected from nationally linked databases. To achieve the primary aim, log-binomial regression models were constructed. More than 70% of healthy pregnant women gave birth in hospitals (≥1000 births/year) where there was lower use of nonpharmacological coping strategies, higher likelihood of epidural analgesia, episiotomy, birth companion's presence at birth, skin-to-skin contact, and first breastfeeding within 1 h (p-value < 0.001). Midwives attended almost all the births regardless of birth volume (98.80%), while gynecologists and pediatricians were more frequently present in smaller hospitals. There were no significant differences in perinatal outcomes. Our findings highlighted the impact of the birth setting dimension on the provision of care to healthy pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Fumagalli
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy; (S.F.); (A.N.); (A.L.)
- Department of Obstetrics, Foundation IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Antonella Nespoli
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy; (S.F.); (A.N.); (A.L.)
- Department of Obstetrics, Foundation IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Maria Panzeri
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy; (S.F.); (A.N.); (A.L.)
| | - Edda Pellegrini
- Maternal and Child Committee, Lombardy Region, 20124 Milan, Italy;
| | | | | | - Olivia Leoni
- Welfare Department, Epidemiologic Observatory, Lombardy Region, 20124 Milan, Italy;
| | - Anna Locatelli
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy; (S.F.); (A.N.); (A.L.)
- Department of Obstetrics, Foundation IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, 20900 Monza, Italy
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Fontenot J, Brigance C, Lucas R, Stoneburner A. Navigating geographical disparities: access to obstetric hospitals in maternity care deserts and across the United States. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2024; 24:350. [PMID: 38720255 PMCID: PMC11080172 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-024-06535-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Access to maternity care in the U.S. remains inequitable, impacting over two million women in maternity care "deserts." Living in these areas, exacerbated by hospital closures and workforce shortages, heightens the risks of pregnancy-related complications, particularly in rural regions. This study investigates travel distances and time to obstetric hospitals, emphasizing disparities faced by those in maternity care deserts and rural areas, while also exploring variances across races and ethnicities. METHODS The research adopted a retrospective secondary data analysis, utilizing the American Hospital Association and Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Provider of Services Files to classify obstetric hospitals. The study population included census tract estimates of birthing individuals sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2017-2021 American Community Survey. Using ArcGIS Pro Network Analyst, drive time and distance calculations to the nearest obstetric hospital were conducted. Furthermore, Hot Spot Analysis was employed to identify areas displaying significant spatial clusters of high and low travel distances. RESULTS The mean travel distance and time to the nearest obstetric facility was 8.3 miles and 14.1 minutes. The mean travel distance for maternity care deserts and rural counties was 28.1 and 17.3 miles, respectively. While birthing people living in rural maternity care deserts had the highest average travel distance overall (33.4 miles), those living in urban maternity care deserts also experienced inequities in travel distance (25.0 miles). States with hotspots indicating significantly higher travel distances included: Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska. Census tracts where the predominant race is American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) had the highest travel distance and time compared to those of all other predominant races/ethnicities. CONCLUSIONS Our study revealed significant disparities in obstetric hospital access, especially affecting birthing individuals in maternity care deserts, rural counties, and communities predominantly composed of AIAN individuals, resulting in extended travel distances and times. To rectify these inequities, sustained investment in the obstetric workforce and implementation of innovative programs are imperative, specifically targeting improved access in maternity care deserts as a priority area within healthcare policy and practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jazmin Fontenot
- Perinatal Data Center, March of Dimes, 1550 Crystal Drive Suite 1300, Arlington, VA, USA.
| | - Christina Brigance
- Perinatal Data Center, March of Dimes, 1550 Crystal Drive Suite 1300, Arlington, VA, USA
| | - Ripley Lucas
- Perinatal Data Center, March of Dimes, 1550 Crystal Drive Suite 1300, Arlington, VA, USA
| | - Ashley Stoneburner
- Perinatal Data Center, March of Dimes, 1550 Crystal Drive Suite 1300, Arlington, VA, USA
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Gold KJ, Boggs ME, Plegue MA. Gaps in Stillbirth Bereavement Care: A Cross-Sectional Survey of U.S. Hospitals by Birth Volume. Matern Child Health J 2024; 28:887-894. [PMID: 38133867 DOI: 10.1007/s10995-023-03861-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The quality and scope of perinatal bereavement care in the United States has been evaluated by surveying bereaved parents, but little is known about how care varies across hospitals. We sought to survey clinicians about stillbirth bereavement care practices at U.S. hospitals and to evaluate care by hospital birth volume. METHODS Using American Hospital Association data, we employed stratified random sampling to select 300 hospitals from all centers with at least 100 annual deliveries. Within each state, we divided all hospitals into size quartiles and randomly selected from each until we reached the goal number per state. We then identified a staff member knowledgeable about typical bereavement care on labor and delivery at each hospital and sent an on-line survey about care. We linked survey data with hospital characteristics and used summary statistics, Chi squared, and Fisher's Exact test to compare care by hospital birth volume. RESULTS We reached an eligible respondent at 429/551 hospitals and 396 of the 429 (73%) agreed to participate. We received 289 usable surveys for an overall response rate of 67%. Only one third of hospitals (n = 96, 33%) reported staff protected time for perinatal bereavement care. Of 17 bereavement topics, just six were routinely offered by at least two-thirds of the hospitals. Financial limitations and staff shortages were the most commonly identified barriers to care and were most pronounced at small-volume hospitals. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE This study offers a snapshot in bereavement care and identified important gaps for both large and small hospitals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine J Gold
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, 1018 Fuller Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104-1213, USA.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, 1018 Fuller Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104-1213, USA.
| | - Martha E Boggs
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, 1018 Fuller Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104-1213, USA
| | - Melissa A Plegue
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, 1018 Fuller Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104-1213, USA
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Underwood K, Reddy UM, Hosier H, Sweeney L, Campbell KH, Xu X. Mode of Delivery in Antepartum Singleton Stillbirths and Associated Risk Factors. Am J Perinatol 2024; 41:e193-e203. [PMID: 35850142 DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1750795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study was aimed to investigate delivery management of patients with antepartum stillbirth. STUDY DESIGN Using data from fetal death certificates and linked maternal hospital discharge records, we identified a population-based sample of patients with singleton antepartum stillbirth at 20 to 42 weeks of gestation in California in 2007 to 2011. Primary outcomes were intended mode of delivery and actual mode of delivery. We used multivariable regressions to examine the association between patient demographic, clinical, and hospital characteristics and their mode of delivery. Separate analysis was performed for patients who had prior cesarean delivery versus those who did not. RESULTS Of 7,813 patients with singleton antepartum stillbirth, 1,356 had prior cesarean, while 6,457 had no prior cesarean. Labor was attempted in 51.8% of patients with prior cesarean and 93.7% of patients without prior cesarean, with 76.2 and 95.8% of these patients, respectively, delivered vaginally. Overall, 18.9% of patients underwent a cesarean delivery (60.5% among those with prior cesarean and 10.2% among those without prior cesarean). Multivariable regression analysis identified several factors associated with the risk of cesarean delivery that were not medically indicated. For instance, among patients without prior cesarean, malpresentation (of which the vast majority was breech presentation) was associated with an increased likelihood of planned cesarean (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 3.26, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.53-4.22) and cesarean delivery after attempting labor (adjusted OR = 3.09, 95% CI: 2.25-4.25). For both patients with and without prior cesarean, delivery at an urban teaching hospital was associated with a lower likelihood of planned cesarean and a lower likelihood of cesarean delivery after attempting labor (adjusted ORs ranged from 0.28 to 0.56, p < 0.001 for all). CONCLUSION Over one in six patients with antepartum stillbirth underwent cesarean delivery. Among patients who attempted labor, rate of vaginal delivery was generally high, suggesting a potential opportunity to increase vaginal delivery in this population. KEY POINTS · In singleton antepartum stillbirths, 18.9% underwent cesarean delivery.. · Rate of vaginal delivery was high when labor was attempted.. · Both clinical and non-clinical factors were associated with risk of cesarean delivery..
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Underwood
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Uma M Reddy
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Hillary Hosier
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Lena Sweeney
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Katherine H Campbell
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Xiao Xu
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
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Rüdiger M, Reichert J, Schmitt J, Birdir C. [Perinatal Networks: Ensuring Regional Care of Pregnant Woman and Newborns]. Z Geburtshilfe Neonatol 2024; 228:127-134. [PMID: 38365210 PMCID: PMC11014747 DOI: 10.1055/a-2211-7018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Health care of pregnant women and their newborns is facing major challenges due to the decline in birth rate and shortage of specialists. In the current discussion about future concepts, the centralization associated with minimum quantities and the necessary safeguarding of care in the area are often construed as conflicting goals. Instead, concepts are needed to guarantee that pregnant women and their children will continue to receive care close to home. The example of the saxony center for feto/neonatal health is used to show how partners in a region can jointly ensure care during pregnancy, birth and the neonatal period on a supra-local and cross-hospital basis. The close cooperation of maximum care providers with regional partners enables comprehensive health care. At the same time, this cooperation enables hospitals to remain attractive employers in structurally weak regions and to provide comprehensive care for young families in need of medical services related to pregnancy and birth through good family and social integration close to home and work. The overriding goals of the saxony center for feto/neonatal health are optimal, guideline-based, interdisciplinary and intersectoral care of pregnant women and premature or sick newborns in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Rüdiger
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin,
Medizinische Fakultät und Universitätsklinikum, Fachbereich
Neonatologie und Pädiatrische Intensivmedizin, TU Dresden, Dresden,
Germany
- Zentrum für feto/neonatale Gesundheit, Medizinische
Fakultät TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jörg Reichert
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin,
Medizinische Fakultät und Universitätsklinikum, Fachbereich
Neonatologie und Pädiatrische Intensivmedizin, TU Dresden, Dresden,
Germany
| | - Jochen Schmitt
- Zentrum für Evidenzbasierte Gesundheitsversorgung,
Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus an der TU Dresden, Dresden,
Germany
| | - Cahit Birdir
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe,
Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, Dresden,
Germany
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Kuntosch J, Ruebsam ML, Orsson J, Orsson D, Hahnenkamp K, Hartleib J, Flessa S. Health impact of borders: general reflections and a case study from the Polish-German border. THE EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS : HEPAC : HEALTH ECONOMICS IN PREVENTION AND CARE 2024; 25:281-292. [PMID: 37046102 PMCID: PMC10096107 DOI: 10.1007/s10198-023-01588-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Political, economic, communicative and cultural borders still limit the accessibility of acute healthcare services for patients so that they frequently have to accept longer distances to travel to the next provider within their own country. In this paper, we analyze the impact of borders and opening of borders on acute medical care in hospitals and on patients in border regions. METHODS We develop a conceptual framework model of cross-border healthcare and apply it to the Polish-German border area. The model combines the distance decay effect, a catchment area analysis, economies of scale and the learning curve. RESULTS Borders have a major impact on acute medical care in hospitals and on patients. Setting of new borders will reduce the accessibility of health facilities for patients or require the establishment of new hospitals. Reopening borders might induce a vicious circle leading to the insolvency of a hospital which might result in poorer health for some patients. CONCLUSION Strong effort should be invested to overcome political and cultural borders to improve the health of the population in border regions. Similarly, increased cross-border acute healthcare must be seen in the context of rural health and the special situation of small rural hospitals in rural peripheral areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Kuntosch
- Department of Healthcare Management, University of Greifswald, Friedrich-Loeffler-Strasse 70, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Marie-Luise Ruebsam
- Department of Anesthesia, Intensive, Emergency and Pain Medicine, University Medicine of Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Strasse, 17475, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Jakub Orsson
- Department of Healthcare Management, University of Greifswald, Friedrich-Loeffler-Strasse 70, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Dorota Orsson
- Department of Anesthesia, Intensive, Emergency and Pain Medicine, University Medicine of Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Strasse, 17475, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Klaus Hahnenkamp
- Department of Anesthesia, Intensive, Emergency and Pain Medicine, University Medicine of Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Strasse, 17475, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Jörg Hartleib
- Department of Geography, University of Greifswald, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Strasse 16, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Steffen Flessa
- Department of Healthcare Management, University of Greifswald, Friedrich-Loeffler-Strasse 70, 17487, Greifswald, Germany.
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Flessa S. Efficiency of Obstetric Services in Germany-The Role of Variation and Overheads. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 12:9. [PMID: 38200914 PMCID: PMC10778749 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12010009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The number of obstetric departments in German hospitals has declined in the last decades. In particular, rural hospitals are challenged to sustain their delivery services. In this paper, we analyse the role of variation and overheads of obstetric departments from the perspective of current and future German hospital financing. For this purpose, we develop a Monte Carlo simulation model that analyses the workload of the labour room and the obstetric ward. The results show that a hospital with less than 640 deliveries per year cannot break even. In order to offer services 24 h per day, 365 days per year, five nurses, five midwives, and five gynaecologists are needed. This results in high fixed costs. At the same time, the variation coefficient of the labour room and the obstetric ward declines with an increasing number of deliveries. Consequently, small hospitals have a higher risk of over- and under-utilization in the course of the year. This paper acknowledges that economics is not the only decision dimension. The quality of the institution and the transport to the hospital have to be considered, as well as the population's wish for nearby services. However, the simulations clearly demonstrate that unless the hospital financing system is changed fundamentally, the decline in the number of hospitals offering delivery services will continue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steffen Flessa
- Department of Health Care Management, Faculty of Law and Economics, University of Greifswald, 17487 Greifswald, Germany
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Ferrari A, Seghieri C, Giannini A, Mannella P, Simoncini T, Vainieri M. Driving time drives the hospital choice: choice models for pelvic organ prolapse surgery in Italy. THE EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS : HEPAC : HEALTH ECONOMICS IN PREVENTION AND CARE 2023; 24:1575-1586. [PMID: 36630004 PMCID: PMC9833017 DOI: 10.1007/s10198-022-01563-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The Italian healthcare jurisdiction promotes patient mobility, which is a major determinant of practice variation, thus being related to the equity of access to health services. We aimed to explore how travel times, waiting times, and other efficiency- and quality-related hospital attributes influenced the hospital choice of women needing pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgery in Tuscany, Italy. METHODS We obtained the study population from Hospital Discharge Records. We duplicated individual observations (n = 2533) for the number of Tuscan hospitals that provided more than 30 POP interventions from 2017 to 2019 (n = 22) and merged them with the hospitals' list. We generated the dichotomous variable "hospital choice" assuming the value one when hospitals where patients underwent surgery coincided with one of the 22 hospitals. We performed mixed logit models to explore between-hospital patient choice, gradually adding the women's features as interactions. RESULTS Patient choice was influenced by travel more than waiting times. A general preference for hospitals delivering higher volumes of interventions emerged. Interaction analyses showed that poorly educated women were less likely to choose distant hospitals and hospitals providing greater volumes of interventions compared to their counterpart. Women with multiple comorbidities more frequently chose hospitals with shorter average length of stay. CONCLUSION Travel times were the main determinants of hospital choice. Other quality- and efficiency-related hospital attributes influenced hospital choice as well. However, the effect depended on the socioeconomic and clinical background of women. Managers and policymakers should consider these findings to understand how women behave in choosing providers and thus mitigate equity gaps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amerigo Ferrari
- Institute of Management, MeS (Management and Health) Laboratory, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Via San Zeno 2, 56127, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Chiara Seghieri
- Institute of Management, MeS (Management and Health) Laboratory, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Via San Zeno 2, 56127, Pisa, Italy
| | - Andrea Giannini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paolo Mannella
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Tommaso Simoncini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Milena Vainieri
- Institute of Management, MeS (Management and Health) Laboratory, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Via San Zeno 2, 56127, Pisa, Italy
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Wesselius SM, Hammiche F, Ravelli AC, Pajkrt E, Kamphuis EI, de Groot CJ. Decrease in perinatal mortality after closure of obstetric services in a community hospital in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. A retrospective cohort study. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2023; 284:189-199. [PMID: 37028203 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2023.03.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess differences in adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes before and after closure of a secondary obstetric care unit of a community hospital in an urban district. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort study using aggregated data from National Perinatal Registry of the Netherlands (PERINED) in the very urban region of Amsterdam, consisting of data of five secondary and two tertiary hospitals. We assessed maternal and neonatal outcomes in singleton hospital births between 24+0 weeks of gestational age (GA) up to 42+6 weeks. Data of 78.613 births were stratified in two groups: before closure (years 2012-2015) and after closure (2016-2019). RESULTS Perinatal mortality decreased significantly from 0.84 % to 0.63 % (p = 0.0009). The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of the closure on perinatal mortality was 0.73 (95 % CI 0.62-0.87). Both antepartum death (0.46 % vs 0.36 %, p = 0.02) and early neonatal death (0.38 % vs 0.28 %, p = 0.015) declined after closure of the hospital. The number of preterm births decreased significantly (8.7 % vs 8.1 %, p=<0.007) as well as number of neonates with congenital abnormalities (3.2 % vs2.2 %, p=<0.0001). APGAR < 7 after 5 min increased (2.3 % vs 2.5 %, p = 0.04). There was no significant difference in SGA or NICU admission. Postpartum hemorrhage increased significantly from 7.7 % to 8.2 % (p=<0.003). Perinatal mortality from 32 weeks onwards was not significantly different after closure 0.29 % to 0.27 %. CONCLUSIONS After closure of an obstetric unit in a community hospital in Amsterdam, there was a significant decrease in perinatal, intrapartum and early neonatal mortality in neonates born from 24+0 onwards. The mortality decrease coincides with a reduction of preterm deliveries. The increasing trend in asphyxia and postpartum hemorrhage is of concern.. Centralization of care and increasing birth volume per hospital may lead to improvement of quality of care. A broad integrated, multidisciplinary maternity healthcare system linked with the social domain can achieve health gains in maternity care for all women.
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11
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Woodward R, Mazure ES, Belden CM, Denslow S, Fromewick J, Dixon S, Gist W, Sullivan MH. Association of prenatal stress with distance to delivery for pregnant women in Western North Carolina. Midwifery 2023; 118:103573. [PMID: 36580848 DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2022.103573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Rural areas throughout the US continue to see closures of maternity wards and decreasing access to prenatal and intrapartum care. Studies examining closure's impacts have demonstrated both positive and negative effects on maternal and neonatal outcomes of mortality and morbidity. Our study aims to build on growing evidence from Canada and Scandinavia that suggests increased travel time to give birth is associated with increased emotional and financial stress for rural pregnant women. METHODS Pregnant patients at 7 clinic sites in western North Carolina were invited to complete the Rural Pregnancy Experience Scale (RPES) while waiting for their prenatal appointments. Results were analyzed using adjusted linear regressions to examine the correlation between RPES scores and self-reported distance to anticipated birth location as well as RPES scores with recent local labor and delivery closure. FINDINGS A total of 174 participants completed the survey and met inclusion criteria. For every 10 min increase in travel distance to the patient's anticipated place of delivery, RPES scores increased by an average of 0.72 points. Participants who reported a recent labor and delivery unit closure near them saw average increases of 2.52 on the RPES. CONCLUSIONS Our findings are consistent with the growing body of literature internationally that demonstrates the distance required to travel to delivery location is associated with increased stress among rural pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rivers Woodward
- Blue Ridge Community Health Services, 146 Nesbitt Ridge, Lake Lure, North Carolina 28746, United States.
| | - Emily S Mazure
- UNC Health Sciences at Mountain Area Health Education Center, 121 Hendersonville Rd., Asheville, NC 28803, United States.
| | - Charles M Belden
- UNC Health Sciences at Mountain Area Health Education Center, 121 Hendersonville Rd., Asheville, NC 28803, United States.
| | - Sheri Denslow
- UNC Health Sciences at Mountain Area Health Education Center, 121 Hendersonville Rd., Asheville, NC 28803, United States
| | - Jill Fromewick
- UNC Health Sciences at Mountain Area Health Education Center, 121 Hendersonville Rd., Asheville, NC 28803, United States.
| | - Suzanne Dixon
- Mountain Area Health Education Center, 121 Hendersonville Rd., Asheville, North Carolina 28803, United States.
| | - William Gist
- Mountain Area Health Education Center, 121 Hendersonville Rd., Asheville, North Carolina 28803, United States.
| | - Margaret H Sullivan
- Mission Hospital McDowell, HCA Healthcare, 472 Rankin Drive Entrance #3, Marion, North Carolina 28752, United States.
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Eckart F, Kaufmann M, Rüdiger M, Birdir C, Mense L. [Telemedical support of feto-neonatal care in one region - Part II: Structural requirements and areas of application in neonatology]. Z Geburtshilfe Neonatol 2023; 227:87-95. [PMID: 36702135 DOI: 10.1055/a-1977-9102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Telemedical infrastructure for patient assessment, care and follow-up as well as interdisciplinary exchange can contribute to ensuring patient care that is close to home and meets the highest quality standards, even outside specialised centres. In neonatology, synchronous audio-visual communication across institutions has been used for many years, especially in the Anglo-American countries. Areas of application include extended neonatal primary care and resuscitation, specific diagnostic applications, e.g. ROP screening and echocardiography, as well as parental care, regular telemedical ward rounds and further training of medical staff, especially using simulation training. For the implementation of such telemedical infrastructures, certain organisational, medical-legal and technical requirements for hardware, software and structural and process organisation must be met. The concrete realisation of a telemedical infrastructure currently being implemented for the region of Eastern Saxony is demonstrated here using the example of the Saxony Center for feto/neonatal Health (SCFNH). Within the framework of feto-neonatal competence networks such as the SCFNH, the quality of medical care, patient safety and satisfaction in a region can be increased by means of a comprehensive, well-structured and established telemedical infrastructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Falk Eckart
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Fachbereich Neonatologie & Pädiatrische Intensivmedizin, Medizinische Fakultät, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Zentrum für Feto/Neonatale Gesundheit, Medizinische Fakultät, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Maxi Kaufmann
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Fachbereich Neonatologie & Pädiatrische Intensivmedizin, Medizinische Fakultät, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Zentrum für Feto/Neonatale Gesundheit, Medizinische Fakultät, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Mario Rüdiger
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Fachbereich Neonatologie & Pädiatrische Intensivmedizin, Medizinische Fakultät, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Zentrum für Feto/Neonatale Gesundheit, Medizinische Fakultät, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Cahit Birdir
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe, Medizinische Fakultät, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Zentrum für Feto/Neonatale Gesundheit, Medizinische Fakultät, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Lars Mense
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Fachbereich Neonatologie & Pädiatrische Intensivmedizin, Medizinische Fakultät, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Zentrum für Feto/Neonatale Gesundheit, Medizinische Fakultät, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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Chen N, Pan J. The causal effect of delivery volume on severe maternal morbidity: an instrumental variable analysis in Sichuan, China. BMJ Glob Health 2022; 7:bmjgh-2022-008428. [PMID: 35537760 PMCID: PMC9092146 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2022-008428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Findings regarding the association between delivery volume and maternal health outcomes are mixed, most of which explored their correlation. This study aims to demonstrate the causal effect of delivery volume on severe maternal morbidity (SMM) in China. Methods We analysed all women giving birth in the densely populated Sichuan province with 83 million residents in China, during the fourth quarters of each of 4 years (from 2016 to 2019). The routinely collected discharge data, the health institutional annual report data and road network data were used for analysis. The maternal health outcome was measured by SMM. Instrumental variable (IV) methods were applied for estimation, while the surrounding average number of delivery cases per institution was used as the instrument. Results The study included 4545 institution-years of data from 1456 distinct institutions with delivery services, reflecting 810 049 associated delivery cases. The average SMM rate was approximately 33.08 per 1000 deliveries during 2016 and 2019. More than 86% of delivery services were provided by a third of the institutions with the highest delivery volume (≥143 delivery cases quarterly). In contrast, less than 2% of delivery services were offered by a third of the institutions with the lowest delivery volume (<19 delivery cases quarterly). After adjusting the confounders in the IV-logistic models, the average marginal effect of per 1000 cases in delivery volume was −0.162 (95% CI −0.169 to –0.155), while the adjusted OR of delivery volume was 0.005 (95% CI 0.004 to 0.006). Conclusion Increased delivery volume has great potential to improve maternal health outcomes, while the centralisation of delivery services might facilitate maternal health promotion in China. Our study also provides implications for other developing countries confronted with similar challenges to China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Chen
- HEOA Group, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.,Institute for Healthy Cities and West China Research Center for Rural Health Development, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jay Pan
- HEOA Group, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China .,Institute for Healthy Cities and West China Research Center for Rural Health Development, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
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