The professional teamwork among the midwives and physicians here is so strong—and so significant to women’s health—that it recently brought national recognition from the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM).

Successful Models of Collaborative Practice in Maternity Care is the organizations’ joint “Issue of the Year,” creating national awareness of their policy position on collaborative obstetrical care

A paper authored by Group Health’s certified nurse-midwife Kelly McBroom, GHP obstetrician Susan Warwick, MD, and certified nurse-midwife Ann Darlington from community partner Neighborcare Health Midwifery and Women’s Health Services topped the field of over 60 competitive submissions, and was published in the September 2011 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Ann Darlington says that in her decades as a midwife in a variety of practice settings, she’s experienced supportive, progressive attitudes while helping her clients give birth at Family Beginnings, and that this differ significantly from most health care delivery sites. “Each professional is unthreatened and open to learning from each labor and birth. As midwives we are respected as independent practitioners with the full support of obstetrical, nursing, anesthesia and pediatric services. Everyone’s approach is to do what’s truly best for the client,” she says.

“ACOG created this project in the spirit of health care reform, looking for models of what really works and could be replicated in maternity care,” says Warwick. Darlington adds: “Our delivery outcomes demonstrate that with less competition between physicians and midwives, and less financial pressure to move women quickly through labor, there’s more time and space for birth to happen.”

First-time c-section rates are down at Family Beginnings

Family Beginnings birth outcomes compare favorably with Washington state and national trends, as well as with the US Department of Health and Human Services Healthy People 2020 objectives. The 2020 national aim is to reduce first-time cesarean sections from the 2007 baseline of 26.5 percent to 23.9 percent. Family Beginnings’ 2010 primary c-section rate was just 18.5 percent. The national objective for vaginal births after c-section (VBAC) is an increase from the 2007 baseline of 8.2 percent to 18.3 percent. At Family Beginnings the VBAC rate was 31.8 percent in 2010.

ACOG and ACNM recognize the importance of options and preferences of women in their health care, and recently issued a joint statement on practice relations that said, in part: Quality of care is enhanced by collegial relationships characterized by mutual respect and trust, as well as professional responsibility and accountability.

“I am so very, very proud of this team’s work, and the choices Group Health is able to provide to our communities here in Seattle,” adds Women’s Health and Maternity Child Clinical Service Chief Jane Dimer, MD. “This kind of innovative practice model really works, and it can contribute nationally to overcoming cost and access barriers to high-quality maternity care.”

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SCCA is a world-class cancer treatment center that unites doctors from Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center, University of Washington Medicine, and Seattle Children’s. It only invites affiliates that meet its high standards as a clinical partner.

“With the affiliation, our patients will have more options to stay with their Group Health oncologist while accessing some of the clinical studies offered by SCCA,” says Oncology Medical Chief Eric Chen, MD.

Two and a half years in the planning

Group Health and SCCA had the idea to affiliate more than two years ago, says Service Line Director Connie Wiletzky.

Historically our cancer patients have always been able to go to SCCA for a second opinion. Those who need allogeneic stem-cell transplants also get care there.

With the affiliation, Group Health Physicians medical oncologists in Seattle, Bellevue, Olympia, and Tacoma now can offer access to some additional treatment options via select SCCA clinical studies without patients needing to transfer care to SCCA. Currently the additional treatment options will be in medical oncology. As the affiliation progresses, other types of cancer treatment studies may be added.

Group Health Medical Centers in the Spokane area will continue to work with local community experts to extend care options for cancer patients close to home. However, if patients there want to participate in an SCCA clinical study our Group Health Physicians oncologists in Seattle welcome the opportunity to help be their bridge.

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