The embodiment of choice
ELYSE BANHAM OF THE OTTAWA BIRTH AND WELLNESS CENTRE LOOKS TOWARD PARTNERSHIPS, COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND GROWTH
Monday, March 26, 2018 – Michelle Holden
“She sounded like Wonder Woman,” said Elyse Banham, Executive Director of the Ottawa Birth and Wellness Centre. Banham was describing a friend – a midwife – who inadvertently put her on a new career path when she received a call from a patient in labour. “I heard her walk through the birth over the phone and then she sped off to deliver a baby.” It was in that moment, Banham says, that her friend’s empathy, clinical expertise and immediate control of the situation really struck her. “I thought – that’s how I want to deliver healthcare.”
In March of 2012 the Government of Ontario approved the funding of two new birth centres in Ontario (Toronto and Ottawa), both opening in early 2014 and joining HIROC as subscribers. At that time, Banham who was in training to become a midwife, attended the first birth at the Toronto Birth Centre as a Clerk.
“Birth centres are the embodiment of choice,” says Banham. “Having the option to birth in a place that provides comfort, accessibility and dignity is what midwives were fighting for.” Perhaps it was fate that brought Banham to the Ottawa Birth and Wellness Centre as Executive Director in the fall of 2017.
But Banham’s road to the Centre wasn’t a straight shot. After training and practicing as a midwife, she was offered a job in government which would see her working on files like gender policy and sexual misconduct in the military. “I wanted to use my background in political sciences and midwifery to help inform those policy discussions.”
When Banham read the posting for Executive Director of the Centre, she hesitated at first. “I had spent the last two years strategizing how to get women into leadership and there I was finding reasons not to apply.” Ultimately Banham saw it as another way to marry her two passions – healthcare advocacy and government work.
RUNNING AN INDEPENDENT HEALTH FACILITY
Today – at the helm of one of Ontario’s two birth centres under the Independent Health Facilities (IHF) legislation – Banham spends her days bringing together the partners that make the Centre run smoothly. As a part of their funding agreement, the Centre reports to the IHF on a quarterly and annual basis.
When asked about their work with the College of Midwives of Ontario (CMO), Banham was very forthcoming: “We have a really strong relationship with the College.” Both she and Kelly Dobbin, CMO’s CEO and Registrar, are former midwives with experience in government. “We have a certain level of understanding as to where midwives and government come from on a number of issues.” The Centre reports to the CMO with regard to regulatory questions and safety standards and views them as an integral partner in its work.
While Banham wasn’t at the Centre during its early days, she has high praise for their inaugural Executive Director, Wendy Grimshaw. Coming from a financial and health administration background, Grimshaw put the policies, procedures and systems in place for a safe facility. “Wendy’s passion is in organizing chaos and growing organizations from the ground up – she is the best at it,” said Banham. “Without her, our operation would not be running as smoothly as it is today.”
In this next phase of the Centre’s existence, Banham says the focus will remain on safety, while looking toward partnerships, community outreach and growth.
Behind her, the Centre’s Board stands proud. “Our Board has been instrumental in the forming of a great many partnerships,” says Banham, one of the most important being the Champlain Maternal Newborn Regional Program (CMNRP). On a quarterly basis, this program brings the region’s big players in maternal health together, including area hospitals practicing obstetrics, Ottawa Public Health, and the Champlain LHIN. The Centre works closely with members of the CMNRP, which was instrumental in supporting Ottawa’s application to become one of Ontario’s birth centres. “The people at that table understand the region and what’s required,” said Banham.
STRATEGIC METRICS
Both the Ottawa and Toronto birth centres are judged on admission, meaning the government has set a target for the number of clients who give birth at each centre each fiscal. In Ottawa that target is 320. “The first year everything is new, it can take time to build awareness,” said Banham. “This is the first year we are on target to meet that number, which is exciting.”
But for Banham it’s not just about that one number; she has a plan for more strategic metrics on the horizon. “One of our goals is to implement a balanced score card model,” she said.
Clinical outcomes and client satisfaction (which go hand-in-hand) also play a big role in the Centre’s day-today work. A recent evaluation conducted by the Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) found that 95% of the Centre’s clients would give birth there again.
A LESSON IN PASSION
Banham says that one of the biggest things she’s learned since starting as Executive Director is just how passionate people are about the Centre. And it’s not just the midwives and their partners; a client position on their Board recently opened up and Banham says the interest was overwhelming.
But perhaps one of the most passionate champions for birth centres and their work is Banham herself. “I believe we can be a hallmark in the Ottawa community and a hub for choice as a third birth option,” she says. And while the fight for more choice and greater accessibility around giving birth is most certainly not over, we can all be thankful to have someone like Banham and her passion for politics and maternal health on our side.
Michelle Holden is Communications and Marketing Specialist, HIROC
As featured in the Winter 2018 edition of The HIROC Connection.