What can the MMPO do for Midwives?

• Streamline and manage payment claiming for Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) services on your behalf (secure electronic and hardcopy systems available).
• Provide you with women-held maternity notes that enable you to meet your Section 88 obligations
• Streamline your data collection requirements and provide you with an annual report of your midwifery outcomes for NZCOM Midwifery Standards Review
• Provide you with regular reports to analyse your outcomes compared with those of midwife LMCs nationally and in your region
• Achieve electronic connectivity with colleagues, other health professionals and hospitals as well as
• Electronic transfer of laboratory results and ultrasound reports
• An electronic appointment system to help you organise your day
• An electronic cashbook system that allows you to track your income, invoices and outstanding accounts
• Advice and assistance in midwifery practice management
• Financial assistance and advice if you are establishing new LMC services in rural areas

The MMPO uses secure software that interfaces with HealthPAC and other health provider organisations.

The MMPO and NZCOM are working with District Health Boards (DHBs) to ensure maternity and midwifery services are protected in a changing healthcare environment. Membership of the MMPO and NZCOM is your best chance of ensuring that LMC midwifery services remain strong and financially viable in the new contracting environment.

Membership of the MMPO and NZCOM gives you the opportunity to contribute to the development and maintenance of a strong autonomous midwifery profession in New Zealand.

What can the MMPO do for women?

Consumer feedback on the use of these notes includes feeling that the records were mine and, that with them I was in control and the midwife was helping me. [The notes] gave me just a huge feeling of safety in terms of, if my midwife was away, that if anything went wrong, I knew that I had all the information. She noted that some friends were upset that they didn't have their own set of notes.

I referred to them the whole way through my pregnancy and friends that were pregnant at about the same time that didn't have these notes were upset that they didn't have them too. Because, talking to them, they actually didn't have any written record at home at all, other than what their midwife had kept themselves, for the pregnancy.

How is the Information collected in the notes by the midwives used?

Data gathered through use of the MMPO Maternity Notes is anonymised and contributes to:
• Research on midwifery care activities and outcomes to encourage more healthy birthing outcomes for women and babies.
• Research into ways that women can be supported to make healthy options during pregnancy, such as reducing or giving up smoking.
• Production of an annual report on midwifery care activities and outcomes.

What if your midwife is not a MMPO member and you do not have a copy of our Maternity Notes? You are welcome to contact us by phone (03 377 2485) or, email mmpo@mmpo.org.nz to purchase a copy and we can post it to you ($13.50 including postage and packaging).

For more information on the MMPO Maternity Notes and our practice management system for women we have attached a case study that the Ministry of Health completed in order to demonstrate the application of the Key Directions of the Primary Health Strategy to maternity care.