Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #117468

Amy D. Patton, MD and Joseph Kiesler, MD. Department of Family Medicine, University of Cincinnati, The Christ Hospital, 2123 Auburn Ave., Suite 340, Cincinnati, OH 45219, (513) 721-2221, patton3@marshall.edu

A growing concern among family medicine residencies is the amount of obstetrical experience their residents are getting prior to graduation and its effect on future career paths. In 2002 the University of Cincinnati Department of Family Medicine began training their family medicine residents in a federally-qualified community health center for their continuity clinic experience. Data from July 2003 to June 2004 found that 48% of the pregnancy visits provided by the family medicine residents were high-risk, according to guidelines from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. High-risk categories include preterm labor and poor pregnancy outcomes. A pilot chart audit of the obstetrical patients at the community health center showed that 70% were at higher risk for preterm labor and 40% were at high risk for poor pregnancy outcome according to the aforementioned guidelines. Factors potentially associated with being high-risk were also evaluated such as age, payer source, no show/cancellation rates, and past medical history. High-risk patients followed by residents at the community health center were also compared to those at the residency's other two continuity sites, which are privately owned. This study demonstrates that the experience at community health centers may better prepare future family physicians to practice maternity care, thus offsetting a trend of worsening access to obstetrical care in rural areas.

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss the potential impact of resident training at community health center sites on future career paths.
• Assess the high risk pregnancy prevalence at community health centers compared to privately owned clinics.
• Assess the obstetrical populations at community health centers compared to privately owned clinics.

Keywords: Community Health Centers, Pregnancy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.