SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Mercy Medical Center has launched TeamBirth, a new initiative designed to improve the birthing experience and improve outcomes for women and babies. TeamBirth bridges communication gaps that challenge safety and dignity during childbirth.
Ariane Laboratoriesa joint Center for Health Systems Innovation at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in Boston, MA developed the program.
“At Mercy Medical Center, we want every woman giving birth and the clinicians caring for her to feel empowered to participate in the decisions made during labor and birth,” said Robert Roose, MD, MPH, administrative director, Mercy Medical Center, and Johnson Memorial Hospital. “TeamBirth will bring us closer to this goal by fostering teamwork and communication between doctors, midwives, nurses, staff and the woman giving birth so that our patients are heard and supported as they enter Family Life. Center.”
According Joint Commission Resources, up to 90% of preventable injuries in childbirth are caused by communication problems between providers and patients. To bridge these communication gaps, TeamBirth was developed to ensure that birthers and their clinicians share feedback and understanding during labor and birth.
In all labor and delivery rooms, there is a shared whiteboard that serves as an ongoing shared reference for the team to outline care plans and progress for the baby and patient. During labor and birth, the entire care team, including the birthing person and their support person, meets frequently in small groups to ensure everyone is aware of preferences, symptoms and patient’s experiences.
Ariadne Labs developed TeamBirth as part of its Delivery Decisions initiative, a research and social impact program focused on transforming childbirth care. As mentioned in a press release from Mercy Medical Center, ninety percent of clinicians recommended TeamBirth and nearly 80 percent of patients said their preferences affected their care.
“All people who give birth deserve a safe and dignified experience. TeamBirth is an evidence-based approach to turning that vision into reality,” said Amber Weiseth, DNP, MSN, RNC-OB, Director of the Delivery Decisions Initiative at Ariadne Labs. “We are thrilled to partner with Mercy Medical Center to ensure that the patient’s voice is at the heart of all labor and delivery decisions. We hope to see this model continue to spread to ensure the best possible care experience for every patient, everywhere.
It has been implemented in more than 16 health systems across the country, involving more than 1,500 clinicians and 67,000 mothers and babies.