title: Clinical pathways involving general practice--a new approach to integrated health care?
abstract: The Mater Mothers' Hospital, South Brisbane recently identified a number of difficulties with the maternity share-care program it runs with 1100 local GPs. This paper describes an integration approach developed at the Mater which has addressed these problems via the use of clinical management guidelines across the whole episode of care, the provision of a patient held record/pathway as a clinical practice prompt, clear communication and information management protocols between hospital and general practice, and the provision of continuing medical education for share-care practitioners.
authors.affiliation: University of Queensland Centre for General Practice.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oats
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D019091:Critical Pathways; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006771:Hospitals, Maternity / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011793:Queensland