Effect of an innovative community-based care model, the Monarch Centre, on postpartum length of stay: an interrupted time-series study.

BACKGROUND: Reduction in postpartum length of stay has been advocated within a context of reducing health care system costs and maintaining quality of care. We assessed trends in postpartum length of stay for vaginal and cesarean deliveries at an academic hospital, The Ottawa Hospital, before and after the implementation in 2014 of a novel community-based postpartum outpatient clinic, the Monarch Centre.

METHODS: The Monarch Centre model of postpartum care consists of prebooked appointments at the postpartum clinic, scheduled within 48 hours of hospital discharge. Clients receive maternal assessment including mood screening and care, neonatal care, laboratory testing including infant total serum bilirubin level, and breast-feeding assessment and support. Family physicians, lactation consultants and registered nurses are available for consultation at the appointment, and there is coordination with institutional care, community partners and primary care providers. We used interrupted time-series regression models to assess trends in postpartum length of stay at The Ottawa Hospital between January 2012 and December 2016.

RESULTS: There were 16 023 deliveries with 16 515 babies born over the study period. The mean postpartum length of stay was 46 hours (66 h for cesarean deliveries and 37 h for vaginal deliveries). Eighteen months after implementation of the centre, the average length of stay following a cesarean birth had decreased by 20 hours, a relative reduction of 27% (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.5 to 30.4); for vaginal deliveries, length of stay was reduced by 6 hours, a relative reduction of 18% (95% CI 5.2 to 31.1), and by 12 hours among typical cases (relative reduction 28%, 95% CI 19.2 to 36.6). There was a decrease in the proportion of women with a length of stay exceeding 48 hours after centre implementation. An increase in the rate of 30-day readmission from 1.1% to 1.9% was observed among babies.

INTERPRETATION: A strong association was found between implementation of a community-based multidisciplinary postpartum clinic and declines in postpartum length of stay. This alternative model of postpartum care is safe, has the potential for reducing provider costs and should be considered for further implementation at provincial and national levels.