MATERNAL AND INFANT HEALTH: YEAR 2000 IMS

THE DIFFICULTIES IN MEETING THE MATERNAL AND INFANT HEALTH OBJECTIVES FOR YEAR 2000 DO NOT LIE EXCLUSIVELY IN IMPROVING SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEMS FOR PREGNANT WOMEN AND YOUNG INFANTS. ALSO CRUCIAL ARE THE MEASURING DEVICES AND TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO ASSESS WOMEN AND CHILDREN MOST "AT RISK", TO DETERMINE THE QUALITY AND QUANITY OF SERVICES BEING PROVIDED, AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO EVALUATE THE ULTIMATE IMPACT OF PRENATAL AND INFANT CARE. THIS PHASE I SBIR PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE AND USABLE MATERNAL AND INFANT SOFTWARE SYSTEM THAT ADDRESSES CATEGORY 14 OBJECTIVES. THIS NEW SYSTEM WILL PROVIDE ADMINISTRATORS WITH THE ABILITY TO TRACK A CLIENT FROM HER FIRST PRENATAL VISIT THROUGH THE OUTCOME OF HER PREGNANCY VIA THE COLLECTION AND PRODUCTION OF RELIABLE, VALID, AND CONSISTENT DATA. OBJECTIVES NOT COVERED BY THE SYSTEM WILL BE DEVELOPED UNDER SEPARATE MODULES IN PHASE II. THE RESULTANT SOFTWARE PACKAGE DEVELOPED THROUGH THIS SBIR PHASE I AND II PROJECT WILL BE HIGHLY MARKETABLE BECAUSE IT WILL NOT ONLY PROVIDE A COMPUTERIZED TOOL TO MEASURE HEALTH STATUS AND HEALTH SYSTEM OBJECTIVES BUT WILL BE A USABLE AND ACCEPTABLE TOOL FOR PROVIDERS IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH SECTOR.