A laborist (also known as an OB/GYN hospitalist) is an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN) who specializes in providing care to women in labor and delivery, primarily within a hospital setting. Laborists are dedicated to delivering babies and responding to obstetrical and gynecological emergencies.Laborists ensure continuity of care for patients in labor, especially during situations where a patient's own OB/GYN is not immediately available.
JOB RESPONSIBILITES:
- Providing direct inpatient obstetric care, including managing labor, deliveries, and postpartum care.
- Handles obstetric triage evaluations, perform vaginal deliveries and cesarean sections, and respond to obstetric emergencies.
- Collaborating with other specialists, promoting a culture of safety, and participating in quality improvement initiatives.
- Laborists provide comprehensive inpatient coverage for patients requiring obstetric admission, including managing labor, overseeing deliveries, and ensuring proper postpartum care.
- Laborists evaluate patients presenting in triage and facilitate their admission or discharge as clinically indicated.
- Laborists manage both routine and complex deliveries, including operative vaginal and cesarean deliveries.
- Laborists are responsible for responding to obstetric emergencies like postpartum hemorrhage, shoulder dystocia, eclampsia, and maternal-fetal resuscitation.
- Laborists collaborate with other specialists, including maternal-fetal medicine specialists, anesthesiologists, neonatologists, and nursing staff, to ensure optimal patient care.
- Laborists promote a culture of safety through open communication and debriefing and participate in quality improvement initiatives.