Tracking group prenatal care program outcomes: Creating a centralized database management system for March of Dimes funded sites

Background & Significance:

In 2014, March of Dimes (MOD) invested >$1 million in community grants for CenteringPregnancy^® (CP), an evidence-based group prenatal care program (GPNC) that improves birth outcomes.  Funding was provided to CP sites in order to expand access. Process and outcome measures were collected to describe the impact of these strategic investments.

Methods:

Initially, a paper-based data collection system for grants management of a subset of CP grantees was designed, allowing us to revise processes and determine data collection needs, with minimal burden to sites.  After redesign, we transitioned to an online database management system (DBMS) with grant management capabilities expanded to all MOD-funded CP sites.

Results:

Data collected included patient demographics, timing of entry into GPNC and session attendance. To determine the differing impact of funds by site, we examined site adherence to the CP model, based on aforementioned factors.  These analyses revealed that sites with predominantly African-American participants had a lower percentage of women attend ≥8 sessions and enroll at <17 weeks gestation compared to other sites, identifying areas of increased need for collaboration between MOD and sites.

he online DBMS was designed to improve data quality (through screen prompts and electronic queries) and flexibility of data dissemination.  Automated reports will be part of a critical feedback loop for MOD and sites that encourages greater accountability of investment.

Discussion:

A well-designed DBMS which aligns administrative, implementation, and outcomes data enables focused and effective use of resources in order to achieve grant deliverables and maximize impact of investment.