The Birth Survey: Where consumers report and research maternity care in the US
Jessica Gee | Posted on Friday, April 5, 2013 at 10:05AM Share. Connect. Learn.
New parents have a lot to navigate when it comes to selecting a care provider or institution for the birth of their child(ren). While assessing their own personal philosophies and needs, new parents are often confronted with weighty conversations that influence their selections, including (but not limited to):
- expectations and input of family/friends
- the personal experience of family/friends
- the available and/or accessible local services
- feedback about local services (personal endorsement, Yelp reviews, other consumer reports, etc.)
- listserv and group discussions of peers
- provider lists offered by local coalitions/organizations
Many of the families that we work with speak to us about the various means and methods that influence their decision on selecting providers and institutions -- and while this friend might have LOVED her OB, and this sister-in-law's hairdresser's niece might have sworn by this hospital or midwife, we encourage our families to take a look at the work that is being done at The Birth Survey.
In 2006, the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS) kickstarted the Transparency in Maternity Care Project -- the shining jewel of the project being the Birth Survey. The program reinforces the belief that families must have access to information that will help them choose maternity-care providers and institutions that are most compatible with their own philosophy and needs.
As a doula and student midwife, I believe that it is necessary for folks to have access to information that will help them make fully informed maternity care decisions.
Women need accurate, objective data in order to make fully informed choices about birth settings and providers. Practitioners and hospital administrators also need data to evaluate whether they are delivering quality care. We hope this project will fill a void by providing much needed information that benefits all parties engaged in maternity care.
If you are a family that has given birth in the last three years, take the survey and contribute to the growing consumer voice.
If you are a family that is currently researching care providers and institutions for your upcoming addition, check out the data that The Birth Survey has already collected.
If you are a healthcare professional and institutions, learn how you can better serve your clients and patients!
Reader Comments (1)
That is really good survey. Keep going.