title: Implementation of a new prenatal care model to reduce office visits and increase connectivity and continuity of care: protocol for a mixed-methods study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most low-risk pregnant women receive the standard model of prenatal care with frequent office visits. Research suggests that a reduced schedule of visits among low-risk women could be implemented without increasing adverse maternal or fetal outcomes, but patient satisfaction with these models varies. We aim to determine the effectiveness and feasibility of a new prenatal care model (OB Nest) that enhances a reduced visit model by adding virtual connections that improve continuity of care and patient-directed access to care.
  
  
  METHODS
  This mixed-methods study uses a hybrid effectiveness-implementation design in a single center randomized controlled trial (RCT). Embedding process evaluation in an experimental design like an RCT allows researchers to answer both "Did it work?" and "How or why did it work (or not work)?" when studying complex interventions, as well as providing knowledge for translation into practice after the study. The RE-AIM framework was used to ensure attention to evaluating program components in terms of sustainable adoption and implementation. Low-risk patients recruited from the Obstetrics Division at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) will be randomized to OB Nest or usual care. OB Nest patients will be assigned to a dedicated nursing team, scheduled for 8 pre-planned office visits with a physician or midwife and 6 telephone or online nurse visits (compared to 12 pre-planned physician or midwife office visits in the usual care group), and provided fetal heart rate and blood pressure home monitoring equipment and information on joining an online care community. Quantitative methods will include patient surveys and medical record abstraction. The primary quantitative outcome is patient-reported satisfaction. Other outcomes include fidelity to items on the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists standards of care list, health care utilization (e.g. numbers of antenatal office visits), and maternal and fetal outcomes (e.g. gestational age at delivery), as well as validated patient-reported measures of pregnancy-related stress and perceived quality of care. Quantitative analysis will be performed according to the intention to treat principle. Qualitative methods will include interviews and focus groups with providers, staff, and patients, and will explore satisfaction, intervention adoption, and implementation feasibility. We will use methods of qualitative thematic analysis at three stages. Mixed methods analysis will involve the use of qualitative data to lend insight to quantitative findings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study will make important contributions to the literature on reduced visit models by evaluating a novel prenatal care model with components to increase patient connectedness (even with fewer pre-scheduled office visits), as demonstrated on a range of patient-important outcomes. The use of a hybrid effectiveness-implementation approach, as well as attention to patient and provider perspectives on program components and implementation, may uncover important information that can inform long-term feasibility and potentially speed future translation.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Trial registration identifier: NCT02082275 Submitted: March 6, 2014.
authors.affiliation: Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. Ridgeway.Jennifer@mayo.edu.|Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. Ridgeway.Jennifer@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ridgeway
authors.affiliation: Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. LeBlanc.Annie@mayo.edu.|Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. LeBlanc.Annie@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: LeBlanc
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. Branda.Megan@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Branda
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics Division, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. rharms@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Roger W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Harms
authors.affiliation: Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. Morris.Megan@mayo.edu.|Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. Morris.Megan@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Megan A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.affiliation: Office of Risk Management, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. Nesbitt.Katharine@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nesbitt
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics Division, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. Gostout.Bobbie@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Bobbie S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Gostout
authors.affiliation: Practice Administration, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. Barkey.Lenae@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Lenae M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Barkey
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics Division, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. Sobolewski.Susan@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Sobolewski
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics Division, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. Brodrick.Ellen@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brodrick
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. Inselman.Jonathan@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Inselman
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics Division, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. Baron.Anne@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baron
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics Division, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. Sivly.Angela@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sivly
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics Division, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. Baker.Misty@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Misty
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.affiliation: Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. Finnie.Dawn@mayo.edu.|Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. Finnie.Dawn@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Finnie
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. Chaudhry.Rajeev@mayo.edu.|Center for Innovation, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. Chaudhry.Rajeev@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Rajeev
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chaudhry
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics Division, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. Famuyide.Abimbola@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Abimbola O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Famuyide
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards*; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards*