Understanding VA Maternity Care Coordinators Interactions and Collaboration With Primary Care Providers

Area of Science:

• Healthcare delivery for Veterans
• Maternal health outcomes
• Care coordination models

Background:

• Veteran mothers face higher morbidity due to chronic conditions.
• The Department of Veteran Affairs implemented Maternity Care Coordinators (MCCs) to improve pregnancy care.
• Understanding MCC and primary care provider (PCP) collaboration is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the interactions between Maternity Care Coordinators (MCCs) and primary care providers (PCPs).
• To identify facilitators and barriers in the collaboration between MCCs and PCPs for pregnant Veterans.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 MCCs between March and May 2021.
• A semi-structured interview guide was used to gather data on MCC roles and PCP interactions.

Main Results:

• Three themes emerged: initial interactions, ongoing care coordination, and end-of-pregnancy transitions.
• Most MCCs reported positive and collaborative relationships with PCPs.
• Variability in collaboration intensity and PCP comfort with pregnant Veterans was noted.

Conclusions:

• Opportunities exist to enhance communication and PCP education on maternity benefits and care for pregnant/postpartum Veterans.
• The MCC role can serve as a model for improving care coordination in other health systems.
• Strengthening PCP-MCC collaboration is crucial for optimizing maternal care within the VA system.