Regionalized perinatal education.

Abstract

Despite changes in the organization and financing of healthcare delivery, and dramatic increases in the number and distribution of perinatal facilities and professionals over the past three decades, there remains a continuing need for effective and efficient regionalized perinatal outreach education programmes. Both the organizers and the participants should be multidisciplinary and include both inpatient and outpatient providers. Content should be restricted to issues relevant to participants' practice, and include topics ranging from preconception to postpartum and early infant care. There are various effective formats, but consideration should be given to reaching as many providers as possible simultaneously within a given facility, minimizing expense and economizing on participants' time. Evaluation strategies range from assessment of immediate outcomes, which generally examine programme process, to ultimate outcomes, which measure changes in patient care and patient health.