Hospital meets patient demand for 'home-style' childbirth.
A university-affiliated hospital faced increasing patient demand to minimize or eliminate traditional medical and institutional involvement in labor and delivery. To develop appropriate responses to this demand, the hospital established a committee that included professional practitioners and consumers. Responses developed by the committee included a "home-style" labor and delivery room, more liberal visitation policies, and revised medical procedures. Through a series of compromises, the committee was able to meet patient demands while maintaining the benefits of medical and institutional care.
D005260:Female; D006746:Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006749:Hospital Design and Construction; D006801:Humans; D009657:North Carolina; D009775:Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011367:Professional Staff Committees / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014789:Visitors to Patients