Quantifying the variation in neonatal transport referral patterns using network analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Regionalized care reduces neonatal morbidity and mortality. This study evaluated the association of patient characteristics with quantitative differences in neonatal transport networks.

Study design

We retrospectively analyzed prospectively collected data for infants <28 days of age acutely transported within California from 2008 to 2012. We generated graphs representing bidirectional transfers between hospitals, stratified by patient attribute, and compared standard network analysis metrics.

Result

We analyzed 34,708 acute transfers, representing 1594 unique transfer routes between 271 hospitals. Density, centralization, efficiency, and modularity differed significantly among networks drawn based on different infant attributes. Compared to term infants and

SUBMITTER: Kunz SN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8613294 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature