It's a well-used phrase but one that bears repeating: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
News this week that the longtime practice of sending a public health nurse out to visit with new mothers will be cut back has us feeling, once again, that the pressure to save money can lead to "solutions" that potentially cost us more in the long run.
Within a few days of a baby's birth, a public health nurse is dispatched to the family's home. Once there, the nurse checks the baby's weight and general health; she helps the new mom with any physical concerns and can offer guidance in recovery; she answers questions on everything from bathing a newborn to sleep issues; she can provide infor-
mation on community programs and, sometimes, just a friendly ear.
The more valuable aspect, from a financial perspective, is the preventative component: spotting small problems before they become big problems, in issues like post-partum depression and breastfeeding particularly.
The Health Ministry has said that, in reviewing the program, it became clear that many women don't require the home visit as they're getting help from other sources, like a family doctor or midwife, and that it makes more sense to direct services at those who are deemed high-risk, namely young, poor, first-time mothers.
We'd be the first to agree that a special focus should be aimed at those most likely to need extra support. But we'd also argue that many mothers, even those deemed "low risk" due to financial stability or older age, can be well served with this program, particularly in heading off those "small problems" with potential to become big ones.
As the B.C. Nurses' Union has said, you can't know who is truly "high risk" until you have the chance to talk to them. If a nurse's home visit - at a lower cost - can save a visits to doctors, hospitals, breastfeeding specialists, counselling services or other support programs at a higher cost, that's money well spent in our books.
