Labor induction process improvement: a patient quality-of-care initiative.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects that medical staff education and a new process for scheduling inductions had on decreasing inappropriate inductions.


METHODS
At our institution in 2004, guidelines were developed and shared with the medical staff and reinforced in 2005. The guidelines for elective induction required patients to have completed 39 weeks of gestation and to have a Bishop score of at least 8 for nulliparas and 6 for multiparas. In 2006, the induction scheduling process was changed and the guidelines were strictly enforced. All scheduled inductions during the same 3-month time period (June through August) in 2004 (n=533) and 2005 (n=454) and during a 13-month period from November 2006 to December 2007 (n=1,806) were compared. Outcomes included elective inductions less than 39 weeks, cesarean birth rate for elective inductions among nulliparas, and the overall induction rate.


RESULTS
From 2004-2007, the overall induction rate dropped from 24.9% to 16.6%, a 33% reduction(P<.001); the elective induction rate dropped from 9.1% to 6.4%, a 30% reduction (P<.001); the percentage of elective inductions before 39 weeks of gestation dropped from 11.8% to 4.3%, a decrease of 64% (P<.001); and the frequency of cesarean delivery among nulliparas undergoing elective induction dropped from 34.5% to 13.8%, a decrease of 60%. (P=.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Medical staff education and the development and enforcement of induction guidelines contributed to a decrease in inappropriate inductions, a lower cesarean birth rate for electively induced nulliparas, and a lower elective and overall induction rate.


METHODS
III.
Fisch
John M
JM
From the Magee-Womens Hospital of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
English
Dennis
D
Pedaline
Susan
S
Brooks
Kerri
K
Simhan
Hyagriv N
HN
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007751:Labor, Induced / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards*; D010298:Parity; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult