What is continuity of care?

Continuity of care is concerned with quality of care over time. It is the process by which the patient and his/her physician-led care team are cooperatively involved in ongoing health care management toward the shared goal of high quality, cost-effective medical care.

Why continuity of care is important?

Research has shown that continuity of care leads to patients being more likely to follow medical advice and utilize preventative care such as immunizations or cancer screening. Increased continuity of care by physicians is associated with lower mortality rates.

When was continuity of care implemented?

2010
Over the past 20 years midwifery preparation for practice programs have undergone substantial change. Since, 2010 a key training requirement is the Continuity of Care Experience (CCE); whereby students are required to ‘follow women through’ the perinatal period, including the pregnancy, birth and postnatal period.

How does midwifery continuity of carer model work?

The midwifery continuity of carer model should be the foundation of maternity care, in which women receive seamless care from a primary known midwife for the majority of their care. A midwifery continuity model works within and alongside the multi-disciplinary maternity team.

What is the evidence for continuity of care?

A review of midwifery continuity of care models in the Cochrane Library included 13 trials involving over 16,000 women from around the world including trials from Australia. Women who had continuity of midwifery care were less likely to need epidurals or to use other drugs for pain relief in labour or have an instrumental birth.

How does continuity of care affect a birth?

Those who received care from a known midwife were more likely to have a normal birth, less likely to have a caesarean and less likely to need pain relief in labour compared with the women having the usual care.

What does it mean to have a variety of midwives?

This means that women will see a variety of midwives and doctors throughout the childbearing continuum. There exist opportunities for women to have midwifery student accompany them throughout their pregnancy journey, thus providing them with woman-centred care and a continuity of care exprience.