title: How satisfied are mothers with 1-day hospital stays for routine delivery?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Payers and health plans are encouraging shorter hospital stays after routine vaginal delivery.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the satisfaction of mothers who had 1-day or 2-day stays after routine delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  We mailed questionnaires to mothers 7 to 9 months after delivery. The self-administered survey contained questions about the mothers' satisfaction with the care they received, clinical complications, and the mothers' preparedness after discharge.
  
  
  METHODS
  A mixed-staff, network-model managed care plan in Minnesota that encourages but does not require 1-day hospital stays after routine delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  All plan members who delivered a baby vaginally in the first quarter of 1995 (n = 1009).
  
  
  RESULTS
  56% of the mothers responded to the survey. Of these, 202 had 1-day stays and 292 had 2-day stays. Mothers with 1-day stays were more likely than mothers with 2-day stays to report that their length of stay was "too short" (75% vs. 37%; P < 0.001), and 81% of mothers with 1-day stays would want to stay longer if they had another child. The frequency of self-reported maternal or infant complications did not differ substantially between the two groups. More mothers with 1-day stays than mothers with 2-day stays received home health care visits (44% vs. 10%; P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although length of stay does not seem to be related to clinical outcomes after vaginal delivery, mothers with 1-day stays are less satisfied with their length of stay.
authors.affiliation: HealthPartners, Minneapolis, Minn., USA. klin0089@rc.umn.edu
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Klingner
authors.forename: L I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Solberg
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Knudson-Schumacher
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Huss
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008329:Managed Care Programs; D008910:Minnesota; D009035:Mothers; D010351:Patient Discharge; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires