Family practice obstetrics in a community hospital.
OBJECTIVE
To review obstetric care provided by family physicians and to determine why they transfer patients to obstetricians.


METHODS
Retrospective chart review.


METHODS
Obstetrics department of a regional non-academic community hospital


METHODS
Of 683 women booked with family physicians for obstetrical care, 601 were admitted by family physicians and 82 were transferred to obstetricians before admission.


METHODS
Risk score, induction, augmentation, consultation, forceps delivery, cesarean section, episiotomy, epidural anaesthesia, narcotic analgesia, neonatal birth weight and Apgar scores, and maternal complications.


RESULTS
Family physicians' patients had good maternal and neonatal outcomes; spontaneous delivery rate was 82%; cesarean section rate was 9%. Women transferred from family physicians to obstetricians before admission for delivery had a cesarean section rate of 63%.


CONCLUSIONS
Family physicians provided total obstetric care to most women in this community and transferred patients to obstetricians for expected reasons. Community hospitals with family physicians highly involved in providing obstetric care are likely ideal institutions for training future family physicians.
Radomsky
N A
NA
Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre.
D000416:Alberta; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records; D009774:Obstetrics; D018579:Patient Selection; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment