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Improving
Obstetric Outcomes
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Only performing Risk Assessments on patients who have already been identified as
high risk is extremely ineffective and after the fact. WIN’s Risk Assessment
Program provides assessments for all pregnancies not just high risk because 75%
of all NICU admissions are from non-identified high risk patients. A member can
become high risk at any time throughout the pregnancy so WIN care managers
conduct Risk Assessments at milestone intervals throughout pregnancy in order
to identify a member as potentially high risk. Over 1000 data points are
collected to determine risk in six major categories: demographics; environment;
family history; medical history; nutrition; psychological. Risk Assessment data
is used to provide comprehensive education and support to expecting mothers.
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WIN obstetrics will administer the Maternity Education Program for all members.
Engaging a mother early in her pregnancy with language and culture sensitive
educational materials on a variety of maternal and child health issues results
in a parent who is significantly more likely to have a healthy pregnancy and
child. WIN has partnered with the National March of Dimes to provide consumer
appropriate materials. WIN has an additional mailing acknowledging a loss of a
pregnancy called ‘moving from hurt to healing’ which the plan may decided to
use.
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WIN
will also be providing the membership with a toll free telephone number and
email address for the March of Dimes Resource Center which welcomes calls from
everyone and provides caring, up-to-date information on pregnancy questions
answered by Masters-prepared clinicians.
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In an effort to refine and maintain quality healthcare services, WIN’s Health
and Wellness Initiatives include several projects that are designed to protect
and promote the health and safety of patients who receive preconception and
infertility services. One example of the special types of WIN’s Health and
Wellness Initiatives is WIN’s Spina Bifida Project. Spina Bifida is the most
common type of neural tube defect. The neural tube is a small piece of
tube-shaped tissue in the embryo, and forms during the first month of
pregnancy. Spinal cord and vertebrae defects occur if the tube does not close
completely. This type of birth defect occurs in one in every 2,000 live births.
Data released by the March of Dimes in 2003 presents evidence that the
incidence of neural tube defects can be reduced by the preconception use of
Folic Acid. Current recommendation is that all women of childbearing age take a
daily multivitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid. In order to make this
important recommendation a reality, the program provides patients who are
receiving preconception and infertility services with complementary folic acid
supplements.
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