title: Early discharge from the newborn nursery-effect on scheduling of follow-up visits by pediatricians.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of shorter hospital stays on the follow-up scheduling of newborn infants by private pediatricians.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five surveys over a period of 18 months with educational intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Large community hospital well baby nursery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty private pediatricians who cared for at least 20 newborn infants in the well baby nurseries during 1995.
  
  
  METHODS
  Oral and written communications to pediatricians emphasizing the importance of evaluating infants within 2 to 3 days of discharge if the hospital stay was less than 48 hours.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interval between discharge from the nursery and the scheduled follow-up visit to the pediatrician.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the first two surveys (September 1994 and March 1995) there was no significant difference in follow-up scheduling by pediatricians for those infants discharged <48 hours vs >/=48 hours. Differences were significant in July and November 1995, and in the final survey in March 1996. Nevertheless, in March 1996, 38% of short-stay infants were scheduled to be seen 4 or more days after discharge, and 33% 14 days after discharge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although follow-up practices have changed in response to shorter newborn hospital stays, a significant proportion of pediatricians are not following the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for the follow-up of short-stay infants. Whether or not failure to follow these guidelines will lead to an increase in morbidity is unknown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan 48073, USA.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Maisels
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kring
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D003625:Data Collection; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007902:Length of Stay; D009725:Nurseries, Hospital; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010372:Pediatrics; D013997:Time Factors