Obstetric early discharge versus traditional hospital stay: an economic analysis of current postnatal choices

This study compares the cost of a traditional hospital postnatal stay for low-risk women with the alternative of Obstetric Early Discharge (OED). Given that it has been well established through Hterature that outcomes for OED are at least equal to that of a traditional hospital stay, a cost analysis is the method adopted by this evaluation (Drummond and Stoddart, 1985). An OED program is judged to be effective if the economic value of resources released is greater than the additional costs associated with running of the program (Scott et aL, 1992).