Shared decision-making is when a patient and their health care providers work together to make health care decisions.
Our shared decision-making programs include TeamBirth NJ and Raising the Bar for Maternal Health in NJ.
Each health system completed a comprehensive review of maternal health services, outcomes, and patient experiences, including mental health, midwifery and doula services, and social supports. This assessment helped identify strengths and opportunities for meaningful change.
The Maternal Health Benchmarking Survey and Rubric—developed by the Quality Institute in collaboration with Ariadne Labs—is based on recommendations from the Raising the Bar guide and national experts.
Each hospital established a PCAB, bringing together patients, doulas, community health workers, and local leaders, to ensure hospital policies and practices reflected community voices and needs.
Serving as a bridge between hospitals and communities, PCABs are driving sustainable, community-centered change.
Participating health systems implemented TeamBirth, a nationally recognized model that improves communication and promotes respectful, patient-centered care.
Learn more about TeamBirth NJ below.
“Hearing from, and being responsive to, our patients and community is a vital part of being a community focused healthcare provider. Having the opportunity to hear directly from those who have used, or plan to use, our services gives us the chance to hear what we are doing right, but even more importantly, what we can improve or consider as we develop our services.”
– Alex Nelson, Service Line Director, Maternal & Infant Health, Capital Health
Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center
“Care you receive can feel like it’s happening to you, rather than involving you. This initiative helps capture the blind spots in care and improve outcomes and communication. So many positives come from this.”
– Karina, New Mom and PCAB Member
TeamBirth is a shared decision-making program. It involves team huddles and other tools used during childbirth. Using these tools for every birth helps improve communication and ensure respectful care that aligns with patient preferences.
To improve communication and teamwork in the health care delivery system, we partnered with Ariadne Labs to implement their TeamBirth program in New Jersey. TeamBirth is currently implemented in 26 NJ birthing facilities and continues to expand.
AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, Mainland Campus*~
Atlantic Health Chilton Medical Center*~
Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center*
Capital Health Medical Center Hopewell
Englewood Health*
HMH Hackensack University Medical Center*
HMH Jersey Shore University Medical Center*
HMH JFK University Medical Center*
HMH Ocean Medical Center*~
HMH Palisades Medical Center*~
HMH Raritan Bay Medical Center*~
HMH Riverview Medical Center*
Holy Name Medical Center*
Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill*
Inspira Medical Center Vineland*
Jefferson Washington Township Hospital
Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital*
RWJBH Community Medical Center*
RWJBH Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center*
RWJBH Jersey City Medical Center*
RWJBH Monmouth Medical Center*
RWJBH Newark Beth Israel Medical Center*~
RWJBH Trinitas Medical Center*
RWJ University Hospital*
Saint Peter’s University Hospital*
Saint Peter’s Mary V. O’Shea Birth Center*
St. Joseph’s University Medical Center*
The Valley Hospital*
University Hospital*~
Virtua Midwifery Birth & Wellness Center*
Virtua Mount Holly Hospital*
Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital
Virtua Voorhees Hospital*
*Implementation supported through the NJ Department of Health’s Maternal Health Innovation (MHI) Program
~Launching in Fall 2026
Patients in New Jersey who experience TeamBirth report feeling heard, included in their care, and that their preferences were respected. They express higher levels of autonomy and involvement in shared decision-making during childbirth.
Health care teams note the positive impact of shared decision-making on improving interdisciplinary communication, teamwork, and birth experiences and outcomes.
TeamBirth uses the My Autonomy in Decision-Making scale to assess childbirth experiences. The evidence-based tool focuses on communication with the health care team, education on options for care, and involvement in decision making.
We have collected feedback from over 3,000 NJ patients on their childbirth experiences. This chart looks at feedback from patients who reported they did not experience TeamBirth huddles (blue bars) and patients who reported they did experience TeamBirth huddles (orange bars). Across all items, autonomy and involvement in decisions is higher for patients who experienced TeamBirth.
