Today we’d like to introduce you to Joan Doglio Smith
Hi Joan , please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I became a Labor and Delivery RN in 1987, In the process of becoming an expert in my field I became well aware of the poor obstetric care available at the time and therefore became a Certified Nurse Midwife and OBGYN NP to provide evidence based ethical care for childbearing women.
After several years delivering babies in hospital systems I was able to move to the ideal environment of community birth-including birth centers run by midwives, and witnessed the vastly improved outcomes for mothers and babies.
I have been also providing this to clients in hospitals to the best of my abilities, but it is very difficult with the policies and work environment in hospitals systems.
Therefore, to provide an abundance of options for women’s health care I offer in home, birthing center, and hospital birth services.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not always. As I have worked in several settings I would say the medical establishment and government restraints are the biggest hurdle. Also the public misperceptions are always present. The most difficult though is having insurance plans be non-compliant with federal law to promote midwifery care and birthing centers as well as home birth. There is very little enforcement of state or federal laws that prohibit discrimination against midwives and our profession, even though we have better outcomes than physicians and hospitals in study after study.
As you know, we’re big fans of Abundance Midwifery Service. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
After years of working for and profiting hospitals and birthing centers as an employee, I finally was able to find the path to become a business owner and partner with other midwifery practice wonders to provide home and birth centers care in the Austin area.
Because I have been a Medicaid provider ever since I became a CNM in El Paso in 1996, and I discovered that the vast majority of Medicaid clients have to deliver in hospitals since there weren’t any midwives that were in network with Medicaid, I have made the provision of midwifery care to women’s with medicaid the goal of my professional career.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I believe in shared decision making with clients, utilizing the best up to date research ,evidence based information available. That is my mandate as a professional. Once the client and I have a knowledgeable conversation, the beliefs and culture of the client are considered, and the health care team are all on the same page with the client, there is the least risk to clients and the providers.
Pricing:
- Home birth and birth center costs are similar
- for clients with no insurance the total cost for pregnancy, birth, postpartum and newborn care is $6500
- Clients that have insurance pay per their insurance policy
- Clients that need help getting medicaid can have free pregnancy testing
- Free initial consultations are available to all clients
Contact Info:
