UWMC-Montlake Obstetrics Unit Providers & Staff: We want to hear from you!

If you work on the UWMC-Montlake Obstetrics Units, we invite you to participate in our stakeholder analysis research study. Your participation will help us understand your needs better so we can design and implement our doula program in a successful way. Please contact thecollective@uw.edu if you believe you are eligible for the study but have not received an invitation to participate.

What is this stakeholder analysis?

A group of people at the University of Washington Medical Center-Montlake (UWMC-Montlake) in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology are designing a program called The Collective that will provide doula services to Black people who receive care at our hospital regardless of their ability to pay. Read more info about our program here.
Our vision is to create a program that centers the expertise of community doulas and perinatal service organizations in supporting clients to have childbirth experiences at our hospital that are filled with joy, dignity, and respect.
The purpose of this stakeholder analysis research study is to gather the input of Black birthing people, community doulas, people who work at community-based perinatal service organizations, and UWMC-Montlake’s obstetrics units to help us determine how we can best design this program. The information we learn by doing this study will help us design and implement this program in a way that is most useful to our patients. We also hope to be able to share our experiences developing this program with other people and institutions who might be interested in doing something similar. 

What will you be asked to do if you participate in this study?

For UWMC-Montlake Obstetrics Unit participants, being in this study involves: 

  • Completing a survey asking you some basic information about yourself and your role caring for patients. It will also ask you about your knowledge of and experience with doulas, your thoughts about how racism affects care, your thoughts about the readiness of the unit to implement this doula program, and what training you think you might need. Those who complete this survey will be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card. SURVEY NOW CLOSED

  • Participate in a focus group discussion or a one-on-one interview with a researcher on Zoom to discuss your thoughts in more depth. Those who participate in a focus group discussion or interview will receive a $50 gift card. NOW RECRUITING

  • A report of the study results will be emailed to all participants once available, likely in early 2025.

Eligibility Criteria

To participate, you must:

  • Be a physician (OB/GYN, Family Medicine, Anesthesiology), midwife, nurse, PCC, lactation counselor, or social worker that currently works on the UWMC-Montlake L&D or Postpartum unit.

  • Have worked at UWMC-Montlake for at least 6 months 

  • Be age 18 years or older 

  • Be English-speaking 

If you meet the eligibility criteria above, you should receive an invitation with a link to participate by email in July. If you think you are eligible but have not received this invitation email, please contact the study team by emailing study coordinator Faith Beers: thecollective@uw.edu.