Blue Review
A newsletter for contracting institutional and professional providers

December 2019

2019 Updates in Pre- and Post-Natal Care Information to Support Effective Coordination and Continuity of Care

This article includes important information to help you when providing pre- and post-natal care and services to Federal Employee Program® (FEP®) members.

Communication between health care professionals during the course of a patient’s pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and postpartum medical journey is important. When you are providing care, you may want to include the following information in the patient’s chart to help ensure effective coordination and continuity of care:

Prenatal Visit in First Trimester

  • Prenatal risk assessment may include the complete medical and obstetrical history, physical exam [e.g., American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) Form] and patient education/counseling
  • Prenatal lab reports [e.g., obstetric (OB) panel/toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex, and HIV antibody (TORCH) panel/Rubella antibody test/ABO (O, A, B, or AB blood group testing)/Rh factor testing]
  • Ultrasound, estimated due date (EDD)

Duration of Prenatal Visits

  • Prenatal flow sheet [e.g., ACOG, Electronic Health Record (EHR), or other]
  • All progress/visit notes for duration of pregnancy
  • Ultrasound reports and all consult reports

Delivery

  • Documents, such as hospital delivery records, verifying the member had a live birth; or,
  • If the member had a non-live birth, records that document the non-live birth

Postpartum

  • Documentation of a postpartum visit on or between seven to 84 days after delivery
  • Postpartum office visit progress notation that documents an evaluation of weight, blood pressure, breast exam, abdominal exam and pelvic exam

The information in this article is being provided for educational purposes only and is not the provision of medical care or advice. Physicians and other health care providers are to their own best medical judgment based upon all available information and the condition of the patient in determining the best course of treatment. The fact that a service or treatment is described in this material is not a guarantee that the service or treatment is a covered benefit and members should refer to their certificate of coverage for more details, including benefits, limitations and exclusions. Regardless of benefits, the final decision about any service or treatment is between the member and their health care provider.