Creating a partnership for obstetrical health services research in BC

Childbirth is the most common reason for a hospital visit in BC, accounting for 1 in 10 hospital visits. To make sure that pregnant women receive the best care possible, we need to evaluate how the way in which we provide care — our obstetrical policies and practices — affects the health of women and newborns.

BC has all the building blocks needed for world-class obstetrical care research — including a large database with detailed pregnancy records, university experts in policy analysis, and a single academic department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology. However, we have no mechanism for bringing these assets together.

This award will catalyze the creation of a partnership that brings together BC’s expertise and resources for evaluating obstetrical care. Key outcomes are to:

1. Establish procedures for a working partnership of researchers, health care providers, and patient partners interested in conducting research to improve obstetrical care in BC, learning from partnerships in other fields.
2. Bring together partnership members to co-identify research priorities for improving obstetrical health care in BC.
3. Give students an opportunity to engage with care providers, patient partners, and experienced researchers.

Team members: Jessica Liauw (UBC); Ellen Giesbrecht (Perinatal Services BC); Julie van Schalkwyk (BC Women’s Hospital); Ken Lim (BC Women’s Hospital); Chantal Mayer (PHSA); Jason Burrows (Surrey Memorial Hospital); Sheona Mitchell (University Hospital of Northern BC); Raz Moola (Kootenay Lake Hospital); Luc Beaudet (Cowichan District Hospital); Val Rychel (St. Paul’s Hospital); Gillian Hanley (UBC); Laura Schummers (UBC); Charles Litwin (UBC); Amy Hobbs (UBC); Kenny Der (Perinatal Services BC)