Does making newborn follow-up appointments from the hospital improve compliance?
OBJECTIVE
To test a system of arranging the first newborn follow-up appointments made from the hospital prior to discharge.


METHODS
Prospective randomized study of 328 term healthy newborns divided into control and intervention groups. As there were multiple practices, we checked for clustering in the two groups and then compared them for patient compliance with the first newborn appointment. We also compared the control and intervention groups for compliance with regard to insurance status.


RESULTS
There was difference between the control and intervention group in timeliness for the first appointment (control, 84.9%, intervention group, 94.2%, p=0.0062). There was also improvement in privately insured patients (control 89.1%, intervention 96.5%, p=0.0263), as well as in Medicaid+noninsured patients (control 64.7%, intervention 90.2%, p=0.0245).


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that arranging for follow-up appointments from the hospital is a worthwhile inexpensive intervention that could significantly improve patient compliance with the first newborn visit.
Feinberg
Arthur N
AN
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies, Kalamazoo, MI 49008, USA.
McAllister
Daniel G
DG
Majumdar
Suvankar
S
D000359:Aftercare / Q000379:methods; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017010:Reminder Systems; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014481:United States