See also: “Notice of Privacy Practices,” which should have been given to you at your first prenatal visit.
The staff of The Midwife Center has made a commitment to providing clinical practice experience for nurse-midwifery students. We think that experience in an alternative, family-centered site is a valuable learning experience for these students. The students will be supervised at all times by the nurse-midwives.
You have the right to decline care by a student. Please tell the midwife if you would prefer not to have a student care provider. After passing stringent academic requirements, the students learn the art of midwifery by first watching, then doing. Their level of involvement in your care is your decision and will not affect your care.
It is our high priority to give clients as much information as possible about The Midwife Center’s fees, payment and health insurance information.
For our current Maternity Fee Schedule, please visit midwifecenter.org > Insurance & Payment. You may have already received the Maternity Fee Schedule while speaking with Midwife Center staff about your insurance and payment options.
The Midwife Center will respect each client’s right to dignity, privacy and safety. We believe it is the right of every person to expect and receive the following:
• Good quality care and high professional standards, which are continually maintained and reviewed.
• Answers to questions regarding services and treatment and the name and functions of the staff providing the services.
• Confidentiality, anonymity and privacy.
• Respectful and dignified treatment at all times.
• Information regarding cost and counseling on the availability of known financial resources to the services being provided.
• Disclosure and discussion of the nature, purpose, expected effect and results of the medical treatment under consideration prior to signing an informed consent.
• Availability of a Certified Nurse-Midwife, physician and registered nurse 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• The right to refuse treatment at any time.
• Full information on medical consequences of refusal of treatment.
• Treatment without discrimination upon race, religion, sex, sexual preference, gender identity/expression, or finances.
• The right to review or obtain a copy of medical record according to HIPAA regulations.
• Full information on the continued healthcare requirements of the pregnant person and baby upon discharge.
Each client is responsible for learning about the physical and psychological processes of pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum recovery. The more informed the client and their support system are, the better they will be able to participate in decisions about their care.
1. Clients are responsible for keeping their appointments. If you must cancel, please contact the front office to reschedule. Please note that clients who miss multiple appointments may not be able to have a birth center birth.
2. Clients must plan for a support person to accompany and stay them during entire labor, and until discharge from center as well as for the first few days at home.
3. Medical records from another care provider for the current pregnancy should be transferred to our office. If possible, we prefer to receive these records prior to your first visit so they can be properly reviewed.
4. Out of respect for others, please do not bring a child/friend with a contagious illness to the birth center.
5. Complete and sign Informed Consents, Insurance and Financial Agreements/releases.
6. During pregnancy, you may be asked to have special testing or medical consultation to assure that all is proceeding normally; this may cause you extra time and expense. The CNM may also decide to transfer the client and/or baby to the hospital if a complication arises before or during the birth. Although this can be very disappointing, it is a reality, which you need to talk over with your partner and CNM during your prenatal visits.
7. All first-time parents who are planning a birth center birth are required to complete childbirth education, breastfeeding, and infant care classes. Childbirth education is an approved class in prepared childbirth techniques and should preferably be completed prior to 36 weeks of pregnancy. If you have had previous training, you may want to take a refresher course or arrange for a private class.
8. Breastfeeding and infant care classes should be completed one month prior to delivery. Information on all classes can be found in the client folder.
9. Select a Pediatrician or Family Physician prior to delivery, contact them to schedule your baby’s first appointment after birth and give them the letter in the front pocket of this handbook (if you are reading this handbook as a PDF, please ask the front office for this letter). A pediatrician will check the baby if you deliver in the hospital. Babies born at The Midwife Center must be examined by their care provider within three days of birth.
10. Clients are requested to return all library books on time so that others may read them. Unreturned books will be charged to the client.
11. In spite of the fact you are planning a birth center birth, you must still prepare for the possibility of going to the hospital. Pack a suitcase that will be used in case hospitalization is necessary. Hospital tours are strongly encouraged.
12. Other than alcohol for a toast after the birth, the consumption of alcohol or other drugs is not permitted by anyone in the birth party.
13. There is no smoking permitted in or around Midwife Center property.
14. Children are always welcome. They must have a separate support person if they come to the birth center when the baby is born.
15. Personal property is your responsibility while at the birth center. While we will make every effort to insure its safety, we cannot be responsible for loss or damage to personal property
16. Access to the non-secured Wi-Fi signal is available.
We give clients a few different opportunities to give us feedback on our services.
• You will be given an evaluation of services form to complete at your postpartum visit.
• If you have a clinical concern, please contact Emily McGahey, DNP, CNM, Clinical Director.
• If you have a non-clinical/administrative complaint, please contact Christine Haas, Executive Director
For complaints to the Clinical Director or the Executive Director: These staff members will talk with the client to determine the cause of dissatisfaction and follow-up with a review of procedures or discussion of the complaint with the appropriate staff member.
A report of actions taken will be given to the client. If the family is still dissatisfied, clinical complaints will be referred to the Medical Director, Mary Cooper, MD and non-clinical complaints will be referred to the Midwife Center Board of Directors.
Families will be asked to put their grievance in writing prior to presenting it to the Medical Director.
Clinical Director: Emily McGahey, DNP, CNM: e.mcgahey@midwifecenter.org
Executive Director: Christine Haas: c.haas@midwifecenter.org