title: Perinatal market penetration rate. A tool to evaluate regional perinatal programs.
abstract: Very small babies born in tertiary centers fare better than outborn babies referred for tertiary care after birth. Viewing the 1001-1500 gm regional cohort of fetuses as a potential "market" for center delivery, and measuring a center's penetration into this market, quantitates how well a center draws to itself these small, high-risk fetuses for delivery. An Illinois center's annual penetration rate into its regional market for the years 1973-1983 is presented and significant increases are found. The penetration rates of nine Illinois perinatal centers are calculated and wide discrepancies are found. Defining a high-risk regional cohort as a market stresses a perinatal center's obligation to its region. The penetration rate into a defined market measures how well a center fulfills this obligation.
mesh_terms: D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008389:Marketing of Health Services; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010500:Perinatology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000628:therapy; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012041:Regional Medical Programs