Singing River Health System Launches TeamBirth and Organizes Diaper and Wipes Drive

Singing River Health System announces the launch of TeamBirth, a new initiative aimed at enhancing the birthing experience and improve outcomes for people giving birth and their babies. TeamBirth is a communication and teamwork process that closes gaps in communication that challenge the safety and dignity of people giving birth.

To kickoff of this new initiative, Singing River Health System is partnering with March of Dimes and The Gulf Coast Mom to host a Diaper and Wipes Drive on October 11 at both the Ocean Springs Hospital and Pascagoula Hospital Labor and Delivery departments. Diaper and wipe donations will be accepted at each location to support local moms in need.

Diaper and Wipes Drive Details 

Ocean Springs

  • Time: October 11, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
  • Location: Ocean Springs Hospital Labor & Delivery department

**A demonstration of TeamBirth care discussions will begin at 9:30 a.m.**

Pascagoula

  • Time: October 11, 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • Location: Pascagoula Hospital Labor & Delivery Department

A central component of the TeamBirth model is a shared whiteboard located in all labor and delivery rooms to outline care plans and progress for the patient and the baby that serves as an ongoing shared reference for the team. The full care team, of which the person giving birth and their support person are an integral part, meet frequently throughout labor and delivery in huddles to make sure all parties are aware of the patient’s preferences, symptoms, and experiences and to set clear expectations.  

“At Singing River Health System, we want all people giving birth and the clinicians who care for them to feel empowered to participate in decisions made during labor and delivery. TeamBirth will move us closer to that goal by fostering teamwork and communication among physicians, nurses, staff, and the person giving birth so that our patients feel heard and supported from the moment they walk into the hospital.”

Susan Russell, Chief Nursing Officer, Singing River

Research indicates that failures in communication between providers and between providers and patients accounts for up to 90 percent of preventable injuries during childbirth. TeamBirth was developed to address these gaps in communication to ensure that people giving birth and the clinicians who are caring for them have shared input and understanding into decisions during labor and delivery.

TeamBirth was developed by Ariadne Labs, a joint center for health systems innovation at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, MA. TeamBirth now has been implemented in more than 28 hospitals around the country, collectively involving more than 1,500 clinicians and more than 67,000 mothers and babies.

“We are looking forward to working with Ariadne Labs to implement TeamBirth and to continue our efforts to ensure birthing people are centered and respected before, during, and after labor and delivery,” said Russell.

To learn more about the TeamBirth care plan, please contact Patient Care Manager, Lori Weimer, at (228) 818-5054 or by email at [email protected].