Antenatal transfer of rural women: how does the NSW Inpatient Statistics Collection compare with an audit of hospital records?
The aim of this study was to determine whether the NSW Inpatient Statistics Collection (ISC), a census of hospital admissions, could be used to estimate the magnitude of, and reasons for, antenatal transfer of rural women. Data from the ISC were compared with results of a clinical audit of all antenatal admissions of rural women to perinatal centres in NSW during 1997-1998. While the overall number of perinatal centre admissions identified by the ISC and the audit were similar, the ISC identified only about 70% of antenatal transfers. Rural hospitals identified 12% of women as indigenous compared with 9% at perinatal centres. The ISC showed 28% of rural women admissions and 42% of transfers were for threatened preterm labour compared with 21% and 30% respectively from the audit.
Roberts
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C
NSW Centre for Perinatal Health Services Research.
Algert
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C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006780:Hospitals, Rural / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008485:Medical Audit; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D009517:New South Wales; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019035:Rural Health Services; D014600:Utilization Review