The impact of transmural multiprofessional simulation-based obstetric team training on perinatal outcome and quality of care in the Netherlands

Franyke R Banga, Sophie E M Truijens, Annemarie F Fransen, Jeanne P Dieleman, Pieter J van Runnard Heimel, Guid S Oei

Perinatal mortality and morbidity in the Netherlands is relatively high compared to other European countries. Our country has a unique system with an independent primary care providing care to low-risk pregnancies and a secondary/tertiary care responsible for high-risk pregnancies. About 65% of pregnant women in the Netherlands will be referred from primary to secondary care implicating multiple medical handovers. Dutch audits concluded that in the entire obstetric collaborative network process parameters could be improved. Studies have shown that obstetric team training improves perinatal outcome and that simulation-based obstetric team training implementing crew resource management (CRM) improves team performance. In addition, deliberate practice (DP) improves medical skills. The aim of this study is to analyse whether transmural multiprofessional simulation-based obstetric team training improves perinatal outcome.