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  • Title: Early discharge from the newborn nursery-effect on scheduling of follow-up visits by pediatricians.
    Author: Maisels MJ, Kring E.
    Journal: Pediatrics; 1997 Jul; 100(1):72-4. PubMed ID: 9200362.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of shorter hospital stays on the follow-up scheduling of newborn infants by private pediatricians. DESIGN: Five surveys over a period of 18 months with educational intervention. SETTING: Large community hospital well baby nursery. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty private pediatricians who cared for at least 20 newborn infants in the well baby nurseries during 1995. INTERVENTION: Oral and written communications to pediatricians emphasizing the importance of evaluating infants within 2 to 3 days of discharge if the hospital stay was less than 48 hours. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Interval between discharge from the nursery and the scheduled follow-up visit to the pediatrician. RESULTS: In the first two surveys (September 1994 and March 1995) there was no significant difference in follow-up scheduling by pediatricians for those infants discharged <48 hours vs >/=48 hours. Differences were significant in July and November 1995, and in the final survey in March 1996. Nevertheless, in March 1996, 38% of short-stay infants were scheduled to be seen 4 or more days after discharge, and 33% 14 days after discharge. CONCLUSION: Although follow-up practices have changed in response to shorter newborn hospital stays, a significant proportion of pediatricians are not following the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for the follow-up of short-stay infants. Whether or not failure to follow these guidelines will lead to an increase in morbidity is unknown.
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