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Preterm infants are less likely to have a family-centered medical home than term-born peers

Journal of Perinatology volume 38, pages 1391–1397 (2018)Cite this article

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Abstract

Objective

The family-centered medical home (FCMH) is the recommended healthcare delivery model for children. It is unknown how frequently preterm (PT) children receive care in a FCMH and how this affects health services use.

Study design

We studied 18,397 children aged 0–3 years in the 2010/2011 National Survey of Children’s Health. We compared PT (<37 weeks) and full-term (FT) children on rates of FCMH and receiving prescribed health services. Regression models included sex, race, income, insurance status, and having a special health care need (SHCN).

Results

PT children were significantly less likely to have a FCMH (57% vs. 66%) compared to FT peers despite higher rates of SHCN (16% vs. 5%). PT children were less likely to receive prescribed services (aOR 0.34, 95% CI 0.34, 0.34); lacking a FCMH explained 69% of this effect.

Conclusions

Ensuring PT children have access to medical homes may decrease unmet service needs post-hospital discharge.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social and Behavioral Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

    Jonathan S. Litt & Marie C. McCormick

  2. Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Jonathan S. Litt & Marie C. McCormick

  3. Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    Jonathan S. Litt & Marie C. McCormick

Authors
  1. Jonathan S. Litt
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  2. Marie C. McCormick
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Correspondence to Jonathan S. Litt.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Litt, J.S., McCormick, M.C. Preterm infants are less likely to have a family-centered medical home than term-born peers. J Perinatol 38, 1391–1397 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-018-0180-1

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