Postpartum home nurse visits improve infant health, re...( home environment and evaluate the moth...),Health

Home nurse visits also may occur in a more timely manner than scheduled outpatient physician visits. Therefore a home visit one to two days after hospital discharge could, in theory, result in earlier recognition of problems like jaundice and dehydration. Although home nurse visits are available in the United States, they are not routinely scheduled even when insurance covers the cost. In most states, insurance carriers are required to pay for a home visit for infants and mothers discharged less than 48 hours after delivery. Many insurance programs and Medicaid pay for postnatal home nurse visits regardless of the time of discharge.

"This study indicates that physicians should strongly consider home nurse visits as a way to improve compliance with the AAP guidelines because it is an effective method to reduce the morbidity associated with common conditions like jaundice and dehydration that present in the immediate postnatal period," Paul said. "Most importantly, the visits can improve overall quality of care for newborns and their parents."

The study team included: Troy Phillips, Mark D. Widome, M.D., M.P.H., and Christopher Hollenbeak, Ph.D., Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

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4-Oct-2004