Some local hospital say trying to do the right thing for moms and babies is costing them a lot of money. Now, they're hoping the state legislature will do something to make up the difference. The issue is inducing labor early -- by choice.
St. David's has not allowed it as an elective procedure for about a year. Seton has not allowed it for the last five years. Both healthcare systems say the risk of premature births and other medical complications make it an unsafe and costly choice.
Dawn just gave birth this month to a baby boy. The pregnancy went the full term, 39 weeks and one day to be exact.
"I think mom's should be safe than sorry," said Dawn, who asked that we not use her last name.
At least two Central Texas health care systems agree. Both Seton and St. David's have eliminated elective inductions prior to 39 weeks.
"Waiting just that extra little bit of time, from maybe 37-to-38-to-39-weeks, the outcomes are even better," said Dr. Steven Berkowitz, the Chief Medical Officer of St. David's HealthCare.
"What we found was that by eliminating elective inductions before 39-weeks, the number of babies that we had going to the neo-natal ICU dropped dramatically," said Dr. Frank Mazza, the Associate Chief Medical Officer for the Seton Family of Hospitals.
Mazza says Seton's costs dropped dramatically as well, from $4.5 million to about $186,000 a year. But Dr. Mazza says that's led to a different kind of financial problem.
"Because of the way we are reimbursed in healthcare, that money went back to the insurance companies and the government, rather than to us," said Mazza.
So Seton and St. David's would like to see the state legislature offer financial incentives to health care systems that won't do early inductions.
It appears they found a sympathetic ear in State Representative John Zerwas, R-Richmond, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Health and Human Services.
Zerwas issued the following statement to KVUE: "Our current system of payment for medical services is based on production versus quality outcomes. Avoidance of inducing labor before 39-weeks clearly produces the clinical outcome we desire, but the productivity system of payment does not reward providers for these efforts."
Both Seton and St. David's say regardless of whether the legislature helps them recoup lost revenue, they will continue to do what's best for mom and baby.
"I think it's a great policy. You really want to look out for the health of the baby and that's really important," said Dawn.
Both Seton and St. David's will induce labor early if their are medical complications involving the mother or baby, but they say when that occurs, it's no longer an elective procedure.
