In October 2023, Providence St. Peter and Providence Centralia were among the first hospitals in Washington state to implement a program called TeamBirth with support from the Washington State Hospital Association.
Now, two years after launching, the Family Birth Center in Olympia has become the first in the state to be “TeamBirth Recognized.” This national honor recognizes hospitals that center patient autonomy and dignity throughout the birthing process with a sustained TeamBirth practice.
“Patients and their babies are why we’re here. They are at the center of what our team is committed to focusing on every day,” Melissa Grant, Providence St. Peter chief medical officer and OB/GYN, said in a news release. “We implemented TeamBirth to optimize teamwork and communication before, during, and after labor and delivery.”
Recognition is achieved when a site attests to core components of TeamBirth, submits results from an observed huddle, and demonstrates ongoing commitment to TeamBirth through an engagement activity, according to a news release. TeamBirth has been implemented in more than 100 hospitals across the United States and Sweden.
“Our dedicated caregivers embraced TeamBirth from day one and made it their own,” Grant said. “That is why we’ve earned this recognition. They deserve all the credit.”
TeamBirth focuses on collective communication, so all people involved — the patient, their support person, and their care team — share the same understanding throughout the process. A central component of the TeamBirth model is a shared whiteboard located in all labor-and-delivery rooms that outlines care plans and progress for the patient and baby. The care team and patient complete the whiteboard together and update it regularly. Some examples of elements listed on the whiteboard include the patient’s pain management preferences, if the patient would like to breastfeed, and when the next team huddle will be held. The full care team, the patient and their support person meet throughout labor and delivery to make sure everyone is aware of the patient’s preferences, symptoms and experiences, and to set clear expectations.
TeamBirth was developed by the Delivery Decisions Initiative at 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. Recognition is renewed every three years.
The TeamBirth recognition came on the heels of St. Peter being recognized as part of U.S. News & World Report’s fifth annual Best Hospitals for Maternity Care ratings. The honor, which recognizes 147 hospitals around the country, marks the second straight year St. Peter has been included in the ratings.
U.S. News & World Report also recognized Providence Centralia Hospital as one of three maternity care access hospitals in Washington state, which are critical to providing obstetrical care in rural areas to avoid maternity care deserts.
U.S. News began evaluating maternity care hospitals that provide labor-and-delivery services and submit detailed data to the national news magazine for analysis in 2021. For the 2026 edition, a record-breaking 901 hospitals submitted maternity data for evaluation. These public ratings assist expectant parents — in consultation with their prenatal care providers — in making informed decisions about where to receive maternity care for uncomplicated births.
“Choosing where to welcome a new baby is one of the most personal health care decisions a family makes. Expectant parents can use U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care to compare key outcomes and support services at maternity hospitals in their area,” Jennifer Winston, health data scientist at U.S. News, said in a news release. “Whether your priority is a low C-section rate, strong VBAC support, or the availability of a dedicated lactation consultant, U.S. News’ digital hospital profiles offer parents free, transparent information as they choose a hospital for their maternity care.”
