Evaluation of a Health System Integrated Model for Postpartum Education and Support in Rural Populations

This study was designed to evaluate the implementation of the Nurse Education and Support Team (NEST) Program for postpartum women who reside in 5 rural counties in North Carolina. Overarching Hypothesis: Mothers and infants residing in rural communities, randomized to the NEST-Rural care model over the 3-year course of the project will: 1. Receive more coordinated care for addressing social, mental and physical health needs. 2. Experience fewer postpartum hospital readmissions and decreased utilization of emergency departments (ED) for healthcare. 3. Experience higher adherence to American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines for preventive care, including recently updated ongoing postpartum care, serial well-child visits and vaccinations compared to those assigned to usual care. This group will be compared to those assigned to usual care,

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Women that deliver an infant(s) at The Birth Center at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and currently reside in Davidson, Davie, Stokes, Wilkes or Yadkin County in North Carolina 2. Women that delivered an infant(s) at home, were transported to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and received postpartum care at The Birth Center and currently reside in Davidson, Davie, Stokes, Wilkes or Yadkin County in North Carolina 3. Ages 18 years or older Exclusion Criteria: 1. Women that delivered an infant(s) and did not receive postpartum care at The Birth Center at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. 2. Women that currently reside outside of Davidson, Davie, Stokes, Wilkes or Yadkin County in North Carolina 3. Under 18 years of age