HEALTH-CARE REFORM - IMPACT OF MANAGED CARE ON PERINATAL AND NEONATAL CARE DELIVERY AND EDUCATION

The article examines the major components of health care reform, the impact of the managed competition model on health care delivery, and the implications for the delivery of perinatal/neonatal care and education of perinatal/neonatal health care providers. The impact of managed competition on the perinatal health care community and resulting changes in the perinatal health care delivery system are also explored. The potential for case management models to increase the consistency, efficiency, and timeliness of neonatal nursing care outcomes is examined. Neonatal nurses must define outcomes expected from nursing management and relate these outcomes to knowledge development, credibility, reimbursement, power, and authority. The need for methods meaningfully to describe and measure neonatal nursing productivity has never been more critical. Changes are also needed in educational systems.