title: New admissions guidelines, policy changes result in fewer c-sections, lower costs.
abstract: Hospitals can reduce the rate of costly cesarean births by revamping admissions policies for women in labor and revisiting other labor-related policies. Lawrence (MA) General Hospital overhauled most of its obstetrics department's policies in an effort to cut back on c-sections. Tougher admissions guidelines, fewer inductions, and encouraging women to get out of bed and walk around more all contributed to cutting the hospital's c-section rate to 17% from a high of 26% in 1993. Learn how your facility can have similar results.
mesh_terms: D000289:Admitting Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017046:Cost Savings / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D016134:Organizational Policy; D014481:United States