The Delivery Decisions Initiative has honored six hospital sites with TeamBirth Recognition for excellence. The rigorous recognition process honors sites’ demonstrated commitment to patient autonomy and dignity throughout the birthing process. The Recognized hospitals will be providing this elevated care for 13,260 births annually.
TeamBirth is an evidence-based process that uses team huddles and a Shared Planning Tool to improve communication and teamwork during birth and beyond. It has been implemented in more than 130 hospitals around the US and in Sweden.
To be eligible for TeamBirth Recognition, sites must have an existing TeamBirth program, undergo TeamBirth huddle observations for 10% of births, and demonstrate sustained TeamBirth engagement.
“Observing TeamBirth huddles provides an intimate look at the decision-making moments that families have with their clinical team members,” said Clinical Implementation Specialist Misha Severson, MN, RNC-OB. “We’re identifying who contributed to the conversation and whether preferences and concerns were incorporated into next steps. Our data show that when patients feel and recognize they’re getting this TeamBirth communication, they report feeling heard and respected.”
The engagement activities invite individual sites to customize aspects of TeamBirth to reflect their community and promote equitable care. A team may host a mixer with local doula groups and clinical staff to foster communication and collaboration. Another team may choose to expand the TeamBirth standard of care to their prenatal or newborn clinics.
“The staff and leaders at these sites have done such dedicated work to successfully implement TeamBirth and commit to sustaining it long-term,” said Delivery Decisions Initiative Director Amber Weiseth, DNP, MSN, RN. “We are thrilled to offer this distinction to our first TeamBirth Recognized sites.”
TeamBirth fosters clinical culture change by empowering patients and their support people and supports safety by elevating the patient voice. However, this change needs to be sustained over time to really make an impact. TeamBirth Recognition honors the work necessary to sustain positive change.
List of Sites:
- Baystate Franklin Medical Center
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital
- Fairview Hospital: Berkshire Health Systems
- Mercy Medical Center: Trinity Health
- Oklahoma State University Medical Center
- University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville
