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Patient compliance with the first newborn visit appointment
Arthur N Feinberg1, William B Hicks
1Michigan State University Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies, 1000 Oakland Drive, MI 49008, USA.
Summary
Patient compliance for the first newborn visit after hospital discharge varied significantly. Medicaid patients and younger mothers showed greater lateness for these crucial infant follow-up appointments.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Health Services Research
- Maternal and Child Health
Background:
- Post-hospital discharge follow-up is critical for newborn health.
- Understanding patient compliance with the first newborn visit is essential for optimizing infant care and outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze patient compliance with the crucial first newborn visit after hospital discharge.
- To identify factors influencing lateness for these initial infant appointments.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective chart review of 640 healthy term newborns from two community hospitals was conducted.
- Data on appointment timing, maternal demographics, insurance status, and proximity to the clinic were analyzed.
- Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess patient lateness.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in appointment lateness were observed between Medicaid and non-Medicaid patients (p<0.001).
- Patient lateness varied significantly among different healthcare practices (p<0.001) and was associated with maternal age (p=0.0009).
- Distance from home to the medical facility did not significantly impact appointment lateness.
Conclusions:
- There is a clear need to enhance newborn follow-up processes post-hospital discharge.
- Strategies should be developed to improve both patient and practice compliance with the first newborn appointment.