Objectives: Assess patient awareness, satisfaction and expectations three years after the implementation of the Aurore perinatal network.
Method and materials: Semi-guided interviews with 60 Aurore network perinatal patients, 20 having undergone in-utero transfers (IUT), 20 whose newborns were transferred to the neonate unit (NNT), and 20 post-delivery without IUT or NNT, between September 2007 and January 2007.
Results: Fifteen percent of patients were familiar with the Aurore perinatal network (9/60). The concepts of IUT and NNT were not associated with that of the perinatal network. The information provided helped 85 % of the patients to feel more secure (51/60). For 83 % of the patients with mother-child bond was maintained (50/60). In 90 % of cases, the teams included the father in the healthcare provision process (54/60). Patients had expectations on a greater consideration on the emotional aspect during a transfer.
Conclusion: Few patients knew the perinatal network. They were globally satisified during a transfer, they insisted on the importance of staff empathy and availability.