Supporting OB-GYNs practicing in states with abortion restrictions just got a little easier, thanks to new recommendations published in JAMA.
Kavita S. Arora and Mara Buchbinder are co-authors, with Erika L. Sabbath (Boston College, Harvard University), on a new Viewpoint article in JAMA: “Supporting OB-GYNs in Abortion-Restrictive States—A Playbook for Institutions.”
The article offers recommendations that institutions can use to “support and retain OB-GYNs” in practice after the Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022) decision.
Buchbinder shared that “One of the most important findings from our research was that institutional practices and policies mediate the way that individual OB-GYNs experience abortion restrictions. Is it understandable that many OB-GYNs feel hopeless and demoralized in the wake of Dobbs. But our research points to practical things that hospitals can do to support OB-GYNs and improve their personal and professional wellbeing.”
Arora agreed, adding that “Our article presents an action-oriented framework for institutions to assist ob/gyns in mitigating patient harm and clinician moral distress.”
Key recommendations are gathered under three headings: medicolegal collaboration, materials and resources, and communication and messaging.
The recommendations include:
- Acknowledging mutual discomfort.
- Balancing institutional protection with patient care.
- Providing guidance for patients who may require abortion care.
- Providing timely legislative updates.
- Engaging legal counsel with relevant expertise, with all-hours access.
- Providing legal representation.
- Acknowledging efforts on the workforce.
- Supporting OB-GYNs to provide abortion care out of state.
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The Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology has also published a brief post on the new publication.