Partnering With Doulas in Clinical Settings

Fostering positive and strong partnerships between clinicians and doulas is essential and can benefit patients, clinicians, and the workplace. The evidence suggests that, when doulas are part of health care teams, they improve patients' experiences and outcomes. Doula-clinician partnerships have demonstrated improvements in communication and patient-centered care, accountability in the health care team, and continuity of care for individuals who have given birth. Doula support aligns with evidence-based outcomes and reduces costs to the overall health system. Barriers to doula-clinician partnerships may be addressed with training and policy, as well as approaches that promote collaboration, communication, and accountability. There are opportunities for co-learning and collaboration to embrace the benefits of doulas' roles and to facilitate working together in the most optimal way to improve perinatal outcomes. Obstetricians are uniquely positioned to champion this partnership. This Committee Statement provides recommendations to foster symbiotic collaboration among hospital systems, clinicians, and doulas and to increase knowledge regarding a doula's role and scope of practice.