After 25 years serving our community, the Danbury Midwifery Group, also known as the midwifery practice group from the Connecticut Childbirth & Women’s Center, are being assaulted. There are enormous obstacles confronting us which may make it unlikely that we will be able to continue providing care at Danbury Hospital.

The hospital administration is uncomfortable with women who are drawn to the midwifery model of care. Our families want to have a say in how care is provided. They want to know what their choices are, without feeling coerced. They want time and space to decide care once all pertinent information has been given; even if what they choose to do or not do isn’t considered the standard of care.

Unfortunately hospital administrators are not comfortable “allowing” women to decide for themselves how they will receive care. They are not comfortable with some of the choices that our clients make.

Women and their families wanting a voice and choice in how their care is managed are increasingly made to feel not welcome. Hospital administrators are demonstrating, by their actions against our midwives, that not only are we as midwives unwelcome, our patients are increasingly unwelcome as well.

As certified nurse midwives, the State of Connecticut’s Department of Public Health licenses us as independent practitioners. Despite this, the hospital administration has continually put never-ending policies and protocols in place that effectively limit both our autonomy as well as our scope of practice, even outside of the hospital. This burden on us as midwives staff is unacceptable.

For the second time in less than a year, a midwife from our practice has been unjustly investigated and subjected to review from the administration at Danbury Hospital. 

These sanctions do not appear to have an end. At a recent departmental meeting Dr. Linus Chuang, department chief of Ob/Gyn, described how the hospital administration will be taking a “Deep Dive into the midwifery program”. As we are the only credentialed midwives at Danbury Hospital the statement is clearly directed at our practice.

What can you do? HELP!!! Let the administration know that you are concerned about the sanctions, the protocols, and their refusal to accept our clients’ desire for knowledge and autonomy. Tell your story about your midwifery care. Let the administration know that you appreciate having Danbury Hospital as a facility we can use, but that you are concerned the midwives may no longer continue to have privileges there under current conditions.

Emails to the following would really help:

1. John Murphy, CEO and President, Nuvance Health Systems: john.murphy@nuvancehealth.org
2. Aparna Oltikar, Vice President of Medical Affairs, Danbury & Norwalk Hospitals: aparna.oltikar@nuvancehealth.org
3. Linus Chuang, Department Chair, Ob/Gyn: linus.chuang@nuvancehealth.org
4. Dimitry Zilberman, Director, Maternal Fetal Medicine: dimitry.zilberman@nuvancehealth.org
5. Gregory Rakow, Chairman, Board of Directors, Nuvance Health: grakow@fraleighandrakow.com

Without a voice from YOU and our other clients and friends, we will not be able to continue to provide care for clients needing or wanting to deliver at Danbury Hospital. The burden has become too great.

We welcome your comments, concerns or questions.

Please feel free to email Cathy Parisi, Director, at:
cathy.p@ctbirthcenter.com or call me in my office at 203-748-6000.
Sincerely,
Catherine “Cathy” Parisi, CNM
Clinical & Midwifery Director
Danbury Midwifery Group
Connecticut Childbirth & Women’s Center
94 Locust Avenue
Danbury, CT 06810