A cost consequence analysis of outreach strategies for high risk pregnant women.

This retrospective, cost consequence analysis examined three distinct outreach strategies used by a community-based public health agency to enroll uninsured, low-income pregnant women in perinatal health care services. The three strategies included outreach workers, liaison workers, and case managers. Data analysis revealed that costs per enrollee by strategy were: outreach workers: $429; liaison workers: $98; and case managers: $187. Cost per strategy must be considered cautiously, however, because outreach and enrollment strategies at this agency are not mutually exclusive. Data analysis also revealed that the number of low and very low birth weight babies born to women enrolled in the study agency was half that of the general population, even though less than half the participants were enrolled in prenatal care during the first trimester of pregnancy. Findings from this study support the use of outreach and enrollment strategies to reduce barriers to access to health care and reduce health disparities of low-income, vulnerable populations.