• Daniele S Feldman, D Lisa Bollman, Moshe Fridman, Lisa M Korst, Samia El Haj Ibrahim, Arlene Fink, and Kimberly D Gregory.
• Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Burns and Allen Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA. Electronic address: danielesfeldman@gmail.com.
• Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 2015 Oct 1; 213 (4): 587.e1-587.e13.

ObjectiveWe sought to determine the impact of the laborist staffing model on cesarean rates and maternal morbidity in California community hospitals.Study DesignThis is a cross-sectional study comparing cesarean rates, vaginal birth after cesarean rates, composite maternal morbidity, and severe maternal morbidity for laboring women in California community hospitals with and without laborists. We conducted interviews with nurse managers to obtain data regarding hospital policies, practices, and the presence of laborists, and linked this information with patient-level hospital discharge data for all deliveries in 2012.ResultsOf 248 childbirth hospitals, 239 (96.4%) participated; 182 community hospitals were studied, and these hospitals provided 221,247 deliveries for analysis. Hospitals with laborists (n = 43, 23.6%) were busier, had more clinical resources, and cared for higher-risk patients. There was no difference in the unadjusted primary cesarean rate for laborist vs nonlaborist hospitals (11.3% vs 11.7%; P = .382) but there was a higher maternal composite morbidity rate (14.4% vs 12.0%; P = .0006). After adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics, there were no differences in laborist vs nonlaborist hospitals for any of the specified outcomes. Hospitals with laborists had higher attempted trial of labor after cesarean rates, and lower repeat cesarean rates (90.9% vs 95.9%; P < .0001). However, among women attempting trial of labor after cesarean, there was no difference in the vaginal birth after cesarean success rate.ConclusionWe were unable to demonstrate differences in cesarean and maternal childbirth complication rates in community hospitals with and without laborists. Further efforts are needed to understand how the laborist staffing model contributes to neonatal outcomes, cost and efficiency of care, and patient and physician satisfaction.Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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