New conditions for hospitals voted on for “high-risk” newborns
In response to an increase of babies being born to drug or alcohol dependencies, a committee in Delaware has voted on a state-wide mandate for hospitals.
A committee, including medical professionals and Delaware leaders, unanimously voted Friday on adding six conditions that would trigger high-risk medical discharge reports from a hospital to the Delaware Division of Family Services.
The “High Risk Medical Discharge Protocol” already required infants with special needs to be reported; however, Bridget Buckaloo, executive director of Women’s Health at Beebe Healthcare, the six conditions would give better guidance of when a high-risk infant should be reported.
“We weren’t always sure of when to initiate it, when would it apply? There wasn’t any clear cut criteria that we could say definitively…oh in this instance, we’re going to implement the protocol.” Explains Buckaloo.
The six conditions include:
– Noncompliance with care of the infant.
– If the mother is using substances but is not in a treatment program.
– Evidence tht drug use impairs a mother’s ability to care for the baby.
– If a baby requires a hospital stay exceeding 30 days.
– Multiple substance use.
– If an infant requires complex medical attention.
Buckaloo says the timing could not be better. She says in the year 2015, Beebe Medical Center saw about 50 newborns begin life dependent on either drugs or alcohol compared to 19 in 2013.
The problem, she says, is not only something Beebe is combatting alone.
“It is characteristic of what all of the hospitals in Delaware are seeing.” She says. “It’s not unique to Beebe, it’s not unique to Sussex County.”
Jennifer Donahue, the Child Abuse Coordinator for Delaware, says the conditions could add consistency to follow-up’s after a newborn is released.
“The goal is to get treatment services for the mom and for the infant and to hopefully keep the mom and infant in tact in a family unit as long as it’s safe and the safety of the infant is not jeopardized.” Says Donahue.
While committee has approved the new additions, Donahue says they will not be implemented right away.
According to Donahue, the Division of Family Services still has to take a look at the protocol before another vote.
