In a bid to determine the infant mortality rate of very low birth weight babies (birth weight <1500 grams), the University of Pretoria`s Kalafong Hospital has introduced a toll free telephone line, known as the Datacentrix Prem-line, which will be funded by local infrastructure provider Datacentrix. The line will enable mothers of discharged babies to give telephonic feedback to medical staff about the condition of their infants.
According to Suzanne Delport, Head of the Neonatal Service at Kalafong Hospital, follow up of discharged low birth weight babies has traditionally been a challenge for mothers within the lower income bracket.
"These mothers often live in remote, rural areas. In order to bring their babies to the hospital for follow up visits they have to travel great distances, mostly using public transport, which offers no protective features for young babies.
"At times it may be more practical for these mothers to give telephonic feedback about the baby`s progress while simultaneously reinforcing contact with the healthcare system. Given these facts, we believe that the Datacentrix Prem-line concept will provide a cost effective follow up programme and enable healthcare workers to timeously identify at-risk babies who need to return for a more comprehensive evaluation, which may reduce the infant mortality rate of these babies."
A healthcare worker who established a relationship with the mother while she was in hospital will receive the follow up phone calls.
"Within this relationship of trust, mothers are more willing to share information on their baby`s health. Should there be concern about the baby`s progress, the staff member will be able to immediately refer the mother to a doctor who will decide whether a follow-up visit to the hospital should be expedited.
"Dates for the follow-up calls will be scheduled at the time of discharge and will be interspersed with physical visits," adds Delport.
It is envisaged that the Datacentrix Prem-line will in future become a hot line, enabling mothers to have access to expert medical advice in real-time by simply making a phone call.
Annelie van Wyk, HR director at Datacentrix, believes the proactive approach of the Prem-line system will ensure that vulnerable babies are provided with the care they need.
"Within SA`s rural areas, mothers are faced with hardships that we are unfamiliar with in the cities. The Prem-line concept will provide these mothers with an effective lifeline. Both time and money will be saved with the Prem-line concept as mothers do not have to physically travel to a hospital, unless the medical team at Kalafong deems it necessary."
The medical staff of the Neonatal Service will also benefit from this arrangement by the provision of an avenue to gather statistics and knowledge on the behaviour of very low birth weight babies after discharge. Nurses and doctors alike will be enabled to enhance their knowledge - eventually ensuring a better service to these babies and their families.
Delport estimates that telephonic follow-up visits will eventually replace 50% of the traditional physical hospital visits, but adds that the service is limited to babies within their first year of life.
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