Within the current managed care environment, increasing emphasis is placed on what is often called "evidence-based practice" — that is, practice that is informed by the best available research about effectiveness and safety. We undertook a survey of national professional organizations involved with maternal and infant health to determine the extent to which they are concerned with evidence-based maternity care. We included single-profession and multi-disciplinary organizations for practitioners, as well as organizations concerned with professional education and with professional certification. We contacted the staff executive officers, who were asked to recommend the individual within the organization who was most qualified to speak on the specific survey topics. Our telephone survey with these individuals explored whether the growing emphasis on evidence-based care had led the organizations to modify existing programs and products or to develop new programs and products. We also identified any products that the organizations had developed for professional education, for consumer education, and for professional evaluation, and systematically examined the process by which these materials were developed. Finally, we explored attitudes within the organizations toward available resources for evidence-based maternity care and the degree to which the organizations were using these resources. The presentation will discuss the survey's background and methods and will summarize results and implications.
Learning Objectives: Those who attend this presentation will be able to (1) understand the rationale for undertaking the national survey of professional organizations involved with maternal and infant health, (2) understand the methods by which the survey of professional organizations was conducted, (3) understand the main results of the survey of professional organizations and have a general prespective on the degree to which these organizations are involved with evidence-based maternity care
Keywords: Maternal Care, Evidence Based Practice
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Maternity Center Association,
Cochrane Collaboration
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: I am the director of programs for Maternity Center Association.