Written with contributing author Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN, Vice President of Clinical Excellence, MDM Healthcare

Linda Robinson, the Vice President of Clinical Excellence at MDM Healthcare, recently spoke with Cindy M. Barter, MD, a family practitioner at Hunterdon Health in Lambertville, NJ. Dr. Barter is also a lactation consultant and is passionate about health equity, especially as it relates to maternal child health.

The two discussed a variety of topics including addressing barriers to prenatal care, meeting the needs of the Spanish-speaking community, improving care, group care, and maternal health equity. Since 2009, Dr. Barter has been a faculty member of the Hunterdon Family Medicine Residency Program. She directs patient care at Hunterdon Family Medicine at Phillips-Barber and is responsible for providing and teaching maternity care and inpatient Family Medicine rotations.

“I had been a family care doctor who delivers babies for a long time. When I started at Hunterdon, I found out that there was a group of women who didn’t start prenatal care until much later in their pregnancy. It happened to be a large Latino community and I started to think, ‘What are the barriers why are they not starting care?’”

Dr. Barter explained that she heard that the causes included large copays, lack of a translator, transportation and daycare issues. Barter started looking at ways to solve the problem.

“A lot of healthcare providers think addressing the social determinants of health isn’t their job, that it’s someone else’s job. I wanted to start to look at ways to think outside the box and think about it differently,” she said.

Barter received a grant to provide pregnant women prenatal care without a copay, transportation for that care, and childcare during prenatal care visits. They also did the entire visit in English and Spanish so there wasn’t a language barrier.

“In a very short period of time, after we started the Latina women started prenatal care by about 50 percent during the first trimester. We know early access to prenatal care improves outcomes,” she said.

Barter also added that within a year of starting the program, the rate of women receiving early prenatal care jumped to 85 percent.

“If you take away the barriers, that often helps improve care,” said Barter.

Dr. Barter continued to explain that her mission has been to apply this solution system-wide to start addressing maternal health equity.

“If you look at maternal mortality rates in the United States compared with most industrialized countries, we’re not doing so well. My state of New Jersey is ranked 47th,” she said.

Barter also expressed that group visits are another way to make a positive impact.

“The power of the group really does make an impact…it’s amazing in many different healthcare settings,” said Barter.

Mom groups

Hunterdon Hospital partners with Journey PX to provide patient engagement solutions to their patients. Dr. Barter has seen firsthand the positive impact of the maternal health education Journey PX provides to their patients, including Spanish-speaking patients.

“I know there are many patients who have said they watched them and learned from them. My goal is to make more patients aware of their Journey PX solutions early on so they can utilize them,” she said.

Dr. Barter also brings up Journey PX maternal health education for her patients in their room to view.

“I think it’s a great solution,” she said.

Journey PX also allows the education to be texted and emailed to patients after discharge so they can continue to access the vital health education they need.

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Education

A vital aspect of pre and postnatal care is the provision of comprehensive health education, covering important topics such as breastfeeding, safe sleep practices, and recognizing post-birth warning signs. The effectiveness of this education is influenced not only by its content but also by the sources and delivery methods employed. In the context of the special needs of new mothers, infants, and families, it is crucial to have a patient engagement platform that caters specifically to their unique requirements.

With this recognition in mind, Journey PX has recently developed an innovative solution called Journey PX Mother Baby, which is tailored specifically for mother-baby units. This platform serves as a comprehensive resource, delivering essential health education, assisting parents and newborns in preparing for discharge, and ultimately enhancing the overall patient experience. By addressing the distinctive needs of this environment, Journey PX Mother Baby plays a significant role in promoting the well-being of both mothers and infants, facilitating a smooth transition into parenthood.

Additionally, Mother Baby is quick and easy to deploy and can be up and running in less than 6 weeks. It is also priced for individual units, with flexible payment options.To find out more about what Journey PX Mother Baby can do for your Mother Baby unit, schedule a free demo.

To hear more from Dr. Barter listen to her full PX Space interview with host Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN, below.

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Written with contributing author Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN, Vice President of Clinical Excellence, MDM Healthcare

Childbirth is a transformative and empowering experience for mothers, but it can also be a challenging and overwhelming journey. Recently, Linda Robinson MSN, CPXP, RN Vice President of Clinical Excellence, MDM Healthcare spoke with Braidi Huecker, MD, OB-GYN on a PX Space podcast episode. The two discussed empowering expecting and new mothers with education about the childbirth process.

Dr. Huecker shared her insights on a variety of topics, including challenging stereotypes, birth positivity, and the importance of postpartum care.

“I think when patients come in during labor, or for their prenatal or postpartum visit they have this idea of how things should be, how the picture should look, how happy they should be, and what the background is going to look like. However real life is not Instagram, TikTok, or Pinterest. Real life is way harder than a beautiful photo. It can be messy. I think that puts a lot of pressure on the mother and the partner,” she said.

She explained that she believes there should be a birth positivity movement, similar to the recent body positivity movement in American culture.

“We’re not all the same. Not all women are the same, so why can’t we have birth positivity? Why can’t we celebrate birth differences? We should be celebrating how wonderful it is that we have experienced the birth of our child.”

Dr. Huecker expressed the importance of challenging childbirth and pregnancy stereotypes because they only add pressure on new mothers.

“Patients come in and they have this plan, and birth plans are fantastic, but if something doesn’t go according to your birth plan, it’s important to remember that babies don’t read the textbook and that your birth story is unique. It’s a beautiful, wonderful moment and your baby is born however he or she needed to,” she said.

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Dr. Huecker also provides advice for new mothers who may be struggling with breastfeeding. She explained that similar to birth stories, unhealthy stereotypes exist about breastfeeding that also put unnecessary pressure on new mothers. She emphasized that mothers should do the best they can to breastfeed as it is healthy for the baby, but not beat themselves up if they have trouble with it.

“Everybody is different, and every breast is different, so you don’t know until you try it,” she said.

In addition to breastfeeding, another challenge mothers face when returning home after birth is the possibility of having postpartum depression. She discussed the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression and the available resources to support mothers who are struggling.

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“Postpartum depression is a huge risk and can lead to maternal suicide. One out of seven patients have postpartum depression,” she said.

Dr. Huecker again emphasized how important it is that mothers stop comparing themselves to maternal stereotypes. She also explained how important it is for them to ask for help, communicate their feelings, and practice self-care.

“Moms need breaks. They have their baby 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s okay for mothers to let a trusted person watch the baby for a few hours and go take some time for themselves. It’s not selfish, it’s important,” she said.

She said that it usually takes a year after birth for mothers to fully bounce back.

Another topic she discussed was the prevention of injury to the baby due to conditions such as SIDS or Shaken Baby Syndrome. Dr. Huecker learned the importance of safe sleep firsthand before she ever started medical school when her newborn brother had a SIDS scare.

“We know now based on research that laying a baby on his or her back is the best way for them to sleep and that the baby sleeps alone,” she said.

She also explained some key things to remember when it comes to preventing an accidental incident of shaken baby syndrome.

In addition to breastfeeding, another challenge mothers face when returning home after birth is the possibility of having postpartum depression. She discussed the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression and the available resources to support mothers who are struggling.

Education

“Babies cry and if you are unable to get away from that crying and get frustrated you should step away. The best thing to do is to walk outside. You have to take a mental break and walk outside for a moment. I don’t mean leave the baby alone for a long period of time or ignore your baby, but if a mother gets frustrated or upset with a crying baby, it’s important that they put the baby down and get their aggression out elsewhere because that baby needs them to do the right thing,” she said.

Preventable actions can be taken to educate parents and caregivers about SIDS and shaken baby syndrome. Education from the right sources at the right time is a powerful preventative tool. Proper education from the right source can help set up new parents for success in dealing with childbirth issues discussed by Dr. Huecker such as safe sleep, post birth warning signs, and breastfeeding.

Journey PX Mother Baby is a solution designed specifically for mother-baby units, delivering vital health education, which research shows drives positive patient outcomes, right to their hospital room via their television set. Journey PX Mother Baby also prepares parents and newborns for discharge and enhances the overall patient experience. The solution is also quick and easy to deploy. To find out more about what Journey PX Mother Baby can do for your Mother Baby unit, schedule a free demo.

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You can hear more from Dr. Huecker’s interview with Linda Robinson, including personal stories about their own birth journeys, by listening to the PX Space podcast interview.

doula

Written with contributing author Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN, Vice President of Clinical Excellence, MDM Healthcare

There are several healthcare professionals that assist families during their childbirth journey. Many families are choosing to hire doulas, trained professionals who provide physical, emotional, and informational support throughout the process. These professionals bring a lot to the table when it comes to patient experience, support that is essential for expecting parents. Debbie Young, Certified Birth and Postpartum Doula, shared some valuable insights on the topic in a recent interview.

Young explained that there are several types of doulas including traditional birth doulas, postpartum doulas, and community doulas, who serve specific communities' needs. She also noted that many hospitals do have doula programs. She elaborated on how doulas work with hospital care teams during childbirth.

“I see myself as part of a team because I am not there to do clinical things, but I am there to do the support part. You think of all the skills needed by the clinical personnel, nurse, doctor, and midwife; I want to be a part of that team. I do not replace any of them, instead, I am there as an extra bonus,” she said.

Young explained one of the things that set the role of a doula apart is that they are devoted entirely to the expecting family.

Many parents who have recently got the news they are expecting may be interested in the process of starting with a doula. Young explains that doulas meet with parents several times throughout the perinatal journey. She meets with an expecting mother at least two times and noted that the chemistry between expecting parents and their doula is important.

“First, I just to do a meet and greet for free because, as I tell families, I am going to be with you at one of the most vulnerable times of your life, and even if I am very smart, and I know what I am talking about, if I do not have a personality that matches your personality, I am not the right doula for you. Let me give you the name of a couple of other doulas in the area that you could call upon. I do stress when I talk about hiring a doula from my childbirth education classes, that parents talk to two or three people because that person is going to be at this intimate time in their lives,” she said.

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In today’s healthcare landscape care delivery models are evolving to address recent challenges such as workforce shortages. As technology continues to impact the healthcare industry, and the popularity of telehealth on the rise, many hospital organizations are beginning to invest in innovative technology tools. Journey PX Connect allows hospitals to bring an additional healthcare expert into the patient room virtually. Connect enables video calling for patients and families. The solution also provides a secure connection that allows for virtual visits and rounding by providers, nurses, other clinicians, and authorized staff, all through the patient’s in-room TV.

Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN, Vice President of Clinical Excellence, MDM Healthcare elaborated on the added value of bringing in additional experts virtually, to the bedside.

“Currently, hospitals are dealing with nurses that are overwhelmed, overworked, and an experience complexity gap. Why not look at another professional that you can add to the care team to drive quality? Technology such as Journey PX Connect provides hospitals with the ability to bring additional experts to give that added layer of support,” said Robinson.

She also noted that in specialized units like Mother Baby Units, these experts would be professionals such as doulas and lactation consultants.

The importance of education was another topic discussed by Young, who began her 35-year career in the childbirth field as a childbirth educator. Young is noted for her extensive work in childbirth education. In fact, in addition to her current role as a doula and doula trainer, she provides childbirth educational materials to health professionals, patients, and students as the Customer Relations Manager at InJoy Health Education, an education partner of Journey PX.

“Education is really important. I think that when patients go into labor just assuming everything is going to work out fine, they may have no idea what they are getting into,” said Young.

She explained that one of her most important goals is to provide expecting mothers with an education on a variety of topics that also covers a wide array of “what if” scenarios.

“When my students get into the delivery room, they are prepared. No one can be prepared for absolutely everything, but they are prepared. I just taught a class last night where we did a labor rehearsal. Next week, my class is going to be all about postpartum. Education about breastfeeding and post-birth warning signs, etc., they will need it all, and I think it is crucial,” she continued.

Providing comprehensive health education on topics such as breastfeeding, safe sleep, and post-birth warning signs is a key component of antenatal and postpartum care. The sources and delivery of this education are additional layers that impact the quality of patient care for newborns and their parents. This special environment requires a patient engagement platform that is tailored to the unique needs of new mothers, babies, and families. Recognizing this, Journey PX recently developed Journey PX Mother Baby, a new solution designed specifically for mother-baby units, which delivers vital health education, prepare parents and newborns for discharge, and enhances the overall patient experience.

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To hear more from Debbie Young about the doula’s role in patient care, including assisting the nursing team and additional benefits doulas provide, listen to her full PX Space interview with host Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN, below.