Women's health and maternal child issues

Nursing

In an attempt to lower infant mortality rates and increase prenatal care, you decide to build your own clinic. What services will you provide for the rural women? Keep in mind their time restraints, many kids at home, commute, etc.

A successful clinic serving the needs of rural women must first work on building trust within the community. Trust is first built by developing programs and services that address the specific needs of women in the community. The first step is analyzing the demographic to determine which services are necessary. Age, ethnicity, and income level may all impact the type and range of services a rural health care clinic would provide. Community surveys and focus groups might also help with the development of clinic programs and services. Next, the clinic would need to attract the appropriate staff and administrative faculty based on the services it will provide. The efficacy of a rural health care clinic depends on the clinic's ability to address the specific needs of its clients. Special considerations include a childcare center offering free or discounted care for low-income residents. Offering childcare services would help build trust within the community. However, the clinic must invest in an effective transportation service that can help residents get to and from the clinic. Appointments can be made in conjunction with a shuttle bus service, which increases the likelihood that rural residents will be able to reach the clinic.

Prenatal care services are the most crucial for rural women, who experience far higher rates of infant mortality than the rest of the American population. Lack of access to hospital services is one reason why rural women do not avail themselves of medical services as readily as those living near established medical institutions. Therefore, it is crucial that the clinic establish educational seminars on women's health issues and especially on the importance of pre-natal care. Seminars should be offered for free and in conjunction with schools, at various locations throughout the community to encourage as many women as possible to attend. Raising awareness about the importance of prenatal care may also depend on support from local media, which can also help to field questions that can directly address the needs of local women. Another service the clinic should provide involves remote access. For example, the clinic should assess the feasibility of home visits by doctors and nurses. Regular phone calls to clients or potential clients would also help encourage pregnant women to avail themselves of the clinic's services. The clinic should also establish a solid Web site that allows women to access information from home and possibly, interact in a live chat with staff.

2. What incentives would you provide to keep them coming to the clinic before and after they give birth? Why did you choose to use this as an incentive?

Incentives will help clients trust the clinic and seek care as a matter of course. Free or discounted services would be a good incentive in any community regardless of demographic. Financial incentives would also entail working with insurance providers to make sure that preventative care is a priority.