Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Doctor of Healthcare Administration (D.H.A.)

School

Health Services

Advisor

Thomas Clobes

Abstract

The specific research problem that was addressed through this study is the low rate of postpartum visits among Medicaid-enrolled women, leading to increased postpartum complications and readmissions. The purpose of this quantitative study was to evaluate if hospital readmissions can be reduced by integrated care home visiting services relating to postpartum visit compliance. The research questions evaluated the relationships between postpartum visit compliance, hospital readmissions among Medicaid-enrolled women in Indiana, and an integrated care home visiting program. The Donabedian model for quality-of-care grounds this study and is based on structure, process, and outcome. Through this model, healthcare leaders can evaluate their current structure and processes and determine if the desired outcomes are being achieved. A binary logistic regression analysis yielded no statistically significant relationship between postpartum visit compliance and hospital readmission; however, there was a statistically significant relationship between enrollment in clinically integrated home visiting services and postpartum visit compliance. The recommendation to healthcare leaders would be to use clinically integrated home visiting programs to increase postpartum visit compliance. Recommendation for further research would include a more expanded review to analyze birth outcomes and other variables, such a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) admission, premature, low birth weight, failure to thrive, well-child visits, etc. The implications of this study’s findings have impact for positive social change relates to increasing postpartum visits and providing healthcare leaders practical evidence and understanding of the benefits of clinically integrated home visiting programs.

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