When it comes to pregnancy or obstetric care, healthcare providers hold the key to reducing adverse outcomes and providing a safe environment for recovering women and new infants. According to a study published in the Journal for Healthcare Quality, additional education can reduce the risk and occurrence of adverse outcomes during and after pregnancy.
Dr. Adiel Fleischer led thestudy. The aim of the study was to put in place safety and care initiatives for obstetric care in a healthcare setting. The training program used during the study lasted two years. Healthcare professionals working with obstetric patients at the North Shore University Hospital and the LIJ Medical Center participated in the training program. The training included introducing healthcare professionals to care methods proven to reduce obstetric risk.
As a result of the extra training, obstetric risk reduced by nearly half in both care settings. Patients were better cared for because healthcare professionals implemented the care practices introduced during the training program. According to Fleischer, “In order to improve care and reduce adverse events in obstetrics, a multifaceted best practice based approach that introduces standardized documentation, trains entire teams, and facilitates communication from both those trained and those being cared for, is convincingly effective.”
There is no word whether the training program will be used in other healthcare settings to reduce risk and increase safety.
Source: Dr. Adiel Fleischer, et al. Wiley-Blackwell. 17 November, 2011.