Caseloading costs significantly less than standard hospital care!

A ground-breaking study published today in The Lancet has found that caseloading is both significantly cheaper and just as safe as standard hospital care.

The University of Sydney Study, led by Sally Tracy, Professor of Midwifery at the University showed caseloading produced a saving of AUS $566 for each woman who gave birth in the public hospital.

Professor Tracy: "Caseload midwifery care has largely been overlooked because of the incorrect belief that the service will be too expensive and that the model is not safe for complex pregnancies. Our randomised trial showed that caseload care can achieve similar outcomes to standard care - and it costs the public purse significantly less".."Our study found that caseload midwifery appeared to alter some of the pathways that recurrently contribute to increased obstetric intervention".

"Caseload midwifery works on the assumption that women will labour more effectively, need to stay in hospital less time and feel a stronger sense of satisfaction and personal control if they have the opportunity to get to know their midwife at the beginning of pregnancy".

Professor Alec Welsh, Director of the Australian Centre for Perinatal Science at UNSW said "Policy makers should not view one-to-one midwife care as an expensive, boutique service and pregnant women should be made aware of the benefits of such schemes".

As Midwife 4 Me turns its attentions to the CCG's and the services they are commissioning, this latest piece of research will provide us with powerful ammunition!

A summary of the article can be found here:
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(13)61406-3/abstract?rss=yes

Posted on 17 September 2013 | 5:59 pm