A study of an emerging hospital service: family planning in teaching hospitals.

This report presents the methodologic problems of a 1964 study of family planning assistance given in one midwestern metropolitan area in 20 hospitals that had obstetrics residencies; assesses the ability of administrators, obstetrics chiefs, and other staff members to estimate numbers and characteristics of patients served, in the absence of systematic records of family planning services; and discusses the nature, origin, and operation of policies on family planning assistance. The widespread lack of specific policies, other than negative policies in Catholic hospitals, resulted in great variety and unevenness in amount and type of, and indications for, family planning service. Staff members themselves suggested many needed improvements with respect to indications for family planning assistance and extent and type of service provided. Numerous correctable deficiencies remain. However, since 1964, some obstetrics departments have been able to implement some of these suggestions, and major new family planning programs, publicly and governmentally supported, are estimated to have doubled the number of women in low-income groups given family planning services in these hospitals.