TeamBirth: Improving Labor & Delivery Communication in NH Hospitals | Dartmouth Health
Dartmouth Health has launched a latest patient-centered care model, TeamBirth, at its member hospitals, aiming to improve communication and empower patients during labor and delivery. The initiative, which began at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) on March 4th, is expanding to Cheshire Medical Center and Southwestern Vermont Medical Center throughout March, according to a Dartmouth Health news release.
Developed by Ariadne Labs, a health systems research center affiliated with Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, TeamBirth seeks to address the significant communication failures that contribute to preventable injuries during childbirth. A Joint Commission study cited by Dartmouth Health found that up to 90% of these injuries stem from breakdowns in communication between healthcare providers and patients.
The program’s implementation comes as the U.S. Faces a rising maternal mortality rate. Women giving birth today are 50% more likely to die during childbirth than their mothers, with Black and Indigenous women experiencing rates at least three times higher, Dartmouth Health officials noted.
TeamBirth centers on regular “huddles” – meetings between doctors, nurses, patients, and their support teams, such as doulas and midwives – to discuss birth plans, concerns, and progress. Key information is documented on a whiteboard visible to all involved. Dr. Emily Donelan, medical director of the birthing pavilion at DHMC, explained that the goal is to “prevent the telephone” – the situation where information gets lost as it’s relayed between different members of the care team. “That often happens in hospitals where the patient says something to the nurse, and then the nurse comes to the doctor, and then the doctor goes to the patient, but they’re not all in the same room simultaneously, and things can get lost,” she said, according to New Hampshire Public Radio.
The whiteboard serves as a central hub for this communication, prompting providers to use clear, understandable language and encouraging patients to actively participate by writing down questions and concerns. Doctors will ask patients their preferred name and how they wish to be treated, as well as discussing their hopes and goals for the birthing experience, Dr. Donelan said.
New Hampshire is the fifth state to implement TeamBirth statewide, with Foundation for Healthy Families, the New Hampshire Perinatal Quality Collaborative, and Unravel Healthcare leading the effort. Exeter Hospital began implementing the program in 2024 and has already received positive feedback from patients who report feeling heard and respected, even in cases where their delivery didn’t move as planned, according to April St. Hilaire, director of The Family Center at Exeter Hospital.
Concord Hospital is scheduled to roll out TeamBirth in April, building on preparatory function that began in October. Melissa Devine, director of Concord Hospital’s Women and Children’s Value Stream, emphasized that the program isn’t a radical change, but rather a focus on ensuring everyone is on the same page during a significant life event. Concord Hospital will likewise extend the TeamBirth model to prenatal services, starting at six weeks gestation and continuing through the first year of a newborn’s life.
The initiative aims to foster shared decision-making, earning patient trust by involving them directly in the process rather than simply informing them of decisions already made, according to St. Hilaire.