title: Development of the Optimality Index as a new approach to evaluating outcomes of maternity care.
abstract: Evaluating perinatal outcomes within a framework of normalcy is a new focus of measurement. As maternal and child health clinicians and researchers look to evaluate care practices that are both of high quality and cost-effective, it is important to have measurement tools that assess differences among all women giving birth. The Optimality Index-US shifts the focus from rare adverse events to evidence-based optimal events. This article describes the continuing development of the index and discusses clinical implications for obstetric nurse clinicians.
authors.affiliation: University of Utah College of Nursing, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-5880, USA. patricia.murphy@nurs.utah.edu
authors.forename: Patricia Aikins
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Judith T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Fullerton
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009773:Obstetric Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000458:organization & administration; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018024:Peer Review, Health Care; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D010686:Philosophy, Medical; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011594:Psychometrics; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration*