Obstetrics in a small maternity hospital.
This paper presents the case for continuing to practise safe obstetrics in a small suburban hospital. Boothville Maternity Hospital, Brisbane, is a Salvation Army hospital of 20 beds. Seven thousand births during the years 1975 to 1989 are reported. Perinatal mortality rate was 4.9/1000 total births, forceps rate 7.1%, caesarean rate 9.3% and transfer rate to larger centres 1.6% for babies and 1.2% for mothers. Personalised family-centred care in congenial surroundings serves to maximise the factors that favour uncomplicated delivery. Large centralised and small peripheral hospitals should be seen not as competitive but as complementary. Boothville provides mutually satisfying co-operation for care-givers and care-receivers.
Elliott
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D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006700:Home Childbirth; D006771:Hospitals, Maternity; D006801:Humans; D009775:Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011793:Queensland; D013383:Suburban Population