Postpartum Visit Timing and the Effect on Visit Attendance
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Postpartum Disorder
- Sponsor
- Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island
- Enrollment
- 162
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Number of postpartum visits attended
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 2 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
The objective of this study is to assess if the addition of an early postpartum visit improves attendance at postpartum visits. We seek to evaluate if an additional early postpartum visit improves patient education, satisfaction, or trust in the clinicians during the postpartum period; all of which may ultimately facilitate improved outcomes. Additionally, we seek to explore patient preferences for postpartum care delivery.
Detailed Description
Maternal mortality in the United States is currently at a record high of 17 deaths per 100,000 live births and the majority of pregnancy related deaths occur in the postpartum period due to complications from chronic disease exacerbation, pregnancy-related hypertension, or psychiatric conditions that lead to suicide. Optimal postpartum care would reduce mortality risk, but numerous studies have demonstrated current care is inadequate. Up to 40% of women do not attend their postpartum visit at 4-6 weeks after delivery and the 15-minute visit is too short to achieve the comprehensive goals that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) sets for this visit: a full assessment of physical, social, and psychological well-being. In addressing the current gap between optimal and actual care, ACOG recently recommended that practitioners shift from the standard, single six-week postpartum visit to two postpartum visits, the first within three weeks of delivery. While this change is intended to address current sub-optimal outcomes, the effects of this change are entirely unknown. The long term goal of our program is to improve postpartum care for women in Rhode Island. The primary objective of this project is to determine if the ACOG proposed additional postpartum visit within three weeks of delivery improves attendance to postpartum appointments compared to routine postpartum care. Additionally, we intend to examine whether having two scheduled postpartum visits (one within three weeks and the other at the standard 4-6 week postpartum time point) which we describe as "early and often" postpartum care-improves patient knowledge, satisfaction and trust in clinicians compared to routine care as well as explore patient preferences for postpartum care. Our central hypothesis is that early and often postpartum care will lead to improved patient visit attendance compared to routine care.
Investigators
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •age 13 to 50 years old
- •literacy in English or Spanish
- •receipt of prenatal care at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Care Center of Women \& Infants Hospital
- •delivery at Women \& Infants Hospital during the study time period
Exclusion Criteria
- •High risk pregnancy defined as one or more of the following:
- •chronic hypertension
- •gestational hypertension
- •preeclampsia
- •eclampsia
- •third degree perineal laceration
- •fourth degree perineal laceration
- •blood product transfusion
- •intensive care unit admission
- •who were prescribed anxiolytic or antidepressant medications in the antepartum period
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Number of postpartum visits attended
Time Frame: 3 months
The number of times a patient attends a postpartum visit in the first 12 weeks postpartum will be counted
Secondary Outcomes
- Trust in physician scale(3 months)
- Number of emergency room visits(3 months)
- Number of recommended items covered during postpartum care(3 months)
- Short Assessment of Patient Satisfaction(3 months)