title: Nursing telephonic case management and pregnancy outcomes of mothers and infants.
abstract: Limited success has been achieved in identifying high-risk pregnant women via prenatal risk identification tools. The purposes of this study were to examine a risk assessment and nursing telephonic case management protocol used to identify high-risk mothers and infants, and to evaluate the costs and benefits of the protocol. This study involved a retrospective review of insurance data held by a large managed care organization (MCO). Analyzed data included information about current and past medical problems, and current lifestyle risk factors. Data analysis included frequencies, chi2, t tests, and logistic regression analysis. Pregnant MCO members experienced fewer high-risk conditions versus nonmembers. The overall pregnancy cost for a member was 1,818 dollars versus 4,587 dollars for a nonmember. Members experienced 2.5 times fewer babies hospitalized in the NICU, and significantly fewer mothers with high-risk conditions. The MCO program reduces costs and promotes better maternal and infant outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Women's Health Nurse Practitioner Program, University of Louisville School of Nursing, KY 40292, USA. mhhutt01@louisville.edu
authors.forename: Marianne H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hutti
authors.forename: Wayne M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Usui
mesh_terms: D019090:Case Management / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000191:economics; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013689:Telephone; D014481:United States