RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Maternity Care Services Provided by Family Physicians in Rural Hospitals
JF The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Medicine
JO J Am Board Fam Med
FD American Board of Family Medicine
SP 71
OP 77
DO 10.3122/jabfm.2017.01.160072
VO 30
IS 1
A1 Richard A. Young
YR 2017
UL http://www.jabfm.org/content/30/1/71.abstract
AB Background: The purpose of this study was to describe how many rural family physicians (FPs) and other types of providers currently provide maternity care services, and the requirements to obtain privileges.Methods: Chief executive officers of rural hospitals were purposively sampled in 15 geographically diverse states with significant rural areas in 2013 to 2014. Questions were asked about the provision of maternity care services, the physicians who perform them, and qualifications required to obtain maternity care privileges. Analysis used descriptive statistics, with comparisons between the states, community rurality, and hospital size.Results: The overall response rate was 51.2% (437/854). Among all identified hospitals, 44.9% provided maternity care services, which varied considerably by state (range, 17–83%; P < .001). In hospitals providing maternity care, a mean of 271 babies were delivered per year, 27% by cesarean delivery. A mean of 7.0 FPs had privileges in these hospitals, of which 2.8 provided maternity care and 1.8 performed cesarean deliveries. The percentage of FPs who provide maternity care (mean, 48%; range, 10–69%; P < .001), the percentage of FPs who do cesarean deliveries (mean, 66%; range, 0–100%; P < .001), and the percentage of all physicians who provide maternity care who are FPs (mean, 63%; range, 10–88%; P < .001) varied widely by state. Most hospitals (83%) had no firm numbers of procedures required to obtain privileges.Conclusions: FPs continue to provide the majority of maternity care services in US rural hospitals, including cesarean deliveries. Some family medicine residencies should continue to train their residents to provide these services to keep replenishing this valuable workforce.