Shared decision-making is when a patient and their health care provider work together to make health care decisions. It encourages patients to be involved in their own care and provides space for them to share their health care goals and preferences.
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.
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 Riverview Medical Center*
Holy Name Medical Center*
Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill*
Inspira Medical Center Vineland*
Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital*
RWJBH Community Medical Center*
RWJBH Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center*
RWJBH Monmouth Medical Center*
RWJBH Jersey City 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*
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
To learn more about TeamBirth or implementing TeamBirth in your facility, please complete this interest form.
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 have reported on the positive impact of shared decision-making on improving interdisciplinary communication, teamwork, and birth experiences and outcomes.
TeamBirth uses the Mother’s Autonomy in Decision-Making (MADM) 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 nearly 2,000 patients in NJ 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.
