Examining Options
How should our community respond to this challenge? Is there a more effective and compassionate way for us to meet this need? We examine five strategic options:
1. Give the current referral system time to work
2. Re-establish the midwife program with health department
3. Hire an obstetrician at the health department
4. Advocate for policy changes
5. Recruit more obstetricians
This option suggests that the recent gesture by local obstetricians deserves a chance to succeed. By participating equitably, they can absorb the caseload of pregnant women who are covered by Medicaid and those who are uninsured and unable to pay.
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This option suggests that we should work through concerns that obstetricians have with the midwife program and restore medical oversight so the health department midwife program can be re-established.
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This option suggests that a staff obstetrician at the health department could provide direct services and medical oversight for midwives to restore the prenatal public service.
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This option suggests that the key to increased physician care for the poor is to increase Medicaid reimbursements and reduce medical liability insurance premiums.
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This option suggests that if we had more obstetricians in Daviess County, the care of Medicaid and uninsured patients would be more manageable.
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