title: Early neonatal discharge guidelines: Have we dropped the ball?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine patterns of follow-up and prenatal education by family physicians and to assess whether practice patterns comply with the 1996 Canadian Paediatric Society/Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (CPS/SOGC) guidelines for early neonatal discharge.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mail survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  A community of 300,000 people who were served exclusively for obstetrical care by a tertiary care hospital that performs 5000 deliveries per year and provides an early discharge program (EDP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Family physicians who provide prenatal and/or newborn care.
  
  
  METHODS
  The timing of neonatal follow-up and parental teaching by family physicians.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-two per cent of the respondents scheduled their first postnatal visits two or more weeks after early discharge. There was no significant difference (P=0.7) in scheduling of follow-up for babies who were part of an EDP compared with those who were not. Fewer than 20% of physician respondents provided antenatal education in preparation for early discharge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 1996 CPS/SOGC guidelines for physician follow-up after early neonatal discharge and for anticipatory parental education are not being followed consistently; however, these guidelines were disseminated without reinforcement. Until further study supports a change in practice guidelines, appropriate implementation strategies must be employed to ensure compliance.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Paediatrics and.
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Purcell
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Jangaard