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Improving pregnancy outcome and reducing avoidable clinical resource utilization through telephonic perinatal care
Mary Little1, Gwen D Saul, Karen Testa
1ROSEBUD program at ING Re, Group Life, Accident and Health Reinsurance, Minneapolis, MN 55401, USA. mary.little@ing-re.com
Summary
Telephonic nursing case management for high-risk pregnancies improved birth weights and reduced healthcare costs, demonstrating significant cost savings for every dollar invested in the program.
Area of Science:
- Nursing
- Maternal Health
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Low-income, high-risk pregnancies present unique challenges to maternal and infant outcomes.
- Standard nursing care may not adequately address the complex needs of this vulnerable population.
- Telephonic nursing case management offers a potential solution for improved care coordination and resource utilization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effectiveness of telephonic nursing case management versus standard care in a high-risk, low-income pregnancy population.
- To evaluate the impact of telephonic case management on gestational age, birth weight, and clinical resource utilization.
- To assess the cost-effectiveness of telephonic nursing case management in this population.
Main Methods:
- A telephonic nursing care coordination and case management model was implemented, including risk assessment, patient education, and care coordination.
- High-risk pregnant patients were randomly assigned to either the telephonic case management (treatment) group or standard care (control) group.
- Data on gestational age, birth weight, and healthcare costs were collected and analyzed, controlling for relevant risk factors.
Main Results:
- The telephonic case management group showed significantly increased mean birth weights compared to the control group.
- Mean gestational age at delivery did not differ significantly between the two groups.
- Telephonic case management resulted in an average cost saving of $501.31 per patient and a return on investment of $4.08 for every dollar spent.
Conclusions:
- Telephonic nursing case management is an effective strategy for improving birth weights in low-income, high-risk pregnancies.
- This model significantly reduces clinical resource utilization and demonstrates substantial cost savings.
- Implementing telephonic nursing case management offers a cost-effective approach to enhance maternal and infant health outcomes.