Parenting Program Reduces Preterm Births
The Araz Group (TAG), a managed healthcare company in Bloomington, Minn., is achieving healthier pregnancies by promoting early intervention and stressing consistent prenatal care to expectant mothers.
The results of its prenatal education program, released last week, are besting state and national statistics on pre-term deliveries. During 1996, only 4.6 percent of mothers in the Parenting in Progress program had premature births, compared to 9.1 percent in Minnesota and 11.1 percent nationwide
TAG attributes the program's success to:
- Promoting the patient/physician relationship;
- Early and consistent prenatal care by Araz maternity nurses who provide ongoing personal contact with expectant mothers;
- Timely identification of high-risk pregnancies; and
- Targeted prenatal education that encourages mothers to mention subtle symptoms to their physicians.
The Araz Group serves 250,000 people with networks in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota. Core products include a PPO network, case management, utilization review, workers compensation and pharmacy management. (TAG, Lynda Peterson, 612/896-1226)
Hospitals Launch 'Please Don't Hang Up' Survey
Major hospitals and health systems in San Antonio are asking local residents: "Please don't hang up." as part of an extensive health survey.
The survey campaign, launched earlier this month, will include a random sample of 1,000 adults. The results will be combined with existing health statistics and interviews with local experts and used for an interim report card on the community's health status to be released in July.
At the news conference that outlined the city's plans to become the healthiest city in the country, City Councilman Jeff Webster quipped, "If I call you, please hang up. If these folks call you, don't hang up."
The phone surveys will take 20 to 30 minutes and are modeled after a federal health survey conducted annually. The $90,000 survey tab is being paid by the city's normally competing hospitals-The Baptist Health System, Greater San Antonio Hospital Council, the Methodist Healthcare System and the Southwest General Hospital.
The Professional Research Consultants of Omaha, Neb., is conducting the study. (Professional Research Consultants, 402/592-5656)