Inlet Birth is a collaborative, interdisciplinary maternity care practice, founded in 2018, serving the community north of the Fraser (Burnaby, New Westminster, Coquitlam, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows), and others who plan to give birth at Royal Columbian Hospital [RCH].
Our team culture is the best part: we focus on evidence-based care, assumption of benevolent intent; physical and psychological safety; compassion and kindness; and excellence. We provide high-quality care to our clients while prioritizing a safe space in which to do our oftentimes-challenging work.
What types of care providers collaborate to provide care? Midwives, family physicians, consultants, registered nurses and lactation consultants work as a team to provide evidence-based care that not only supports the health needs of clients and newborns, but also helps to build community, form bonds between peers, and encourage confidence and skills-building for new families. We are looking for OB and peds to join the team. We have a perinatal mental health counsellor who works with our clients, and a team of trusted labour-support doulas who work exclusively with our clients for a reduced fee.
How does the billing work? Both MD and RM billing codes are used, depending on which care providers are involved at different points in care. With the exception of surgical-assist codes and homebirth second-attendant codes, billings are assigned to Inlet Birth, put into a “pool”, and providers are paid a flat fee per shift. In addition to the flat fee, a 52% quarterly bonus is paid out to team members (please contact us to request our FAQ for more information).
Will I pay overhead/practice fees? No overhead or practice fees are charged at Inlet Birth.
How does call work? A call group (of family physicians and midwives) provides “hard call” coverage, scheduled as 12-hour shifts with handover at 0800 and 2000. Another caregiver is scheduled for 12-hour backup call; this caregiver will also be available to assist the on-call caregiver in times of increased workload.
How does prenatal care work? Prenatal care provision follows current Perinatal Services of BC guidelines. It is provided via 1:1 or group in-person visits and (occasionally) Telehealth. Clinic hours are 4- or 8-hour clinic days as you prefer. If you have your own scheduling requests, we do our best to make your schedule work for you!
Where do births happen? At our excellent local site, Royal Columbian Hospital (RCH)–a tertiary centre with excellent NICU, OB, and anesthesia. (In accordance with our Alternative Practice Arrangement, we do not currently offer homebirth services. Clients requesting out-of-hospital birth are referred to one of several other local practices.)
How does postpartum care work? Hospital rounds and discharge visits are done by the RCH Call care provider. Early-postpartum home visits are done by the scheduled community care provider. Scheduled postpartum clinic visits for clients and newborns at 2/4/6 weeks are provided by midwives, family physicians, and registered nurses/LCs.
As early postpartum care in our community can be difficult to access for some clients, Inlet Birth also accepts referrals for in-depth postpartum care for up to six weeks postpartum, and hosts a referral service for early postpartum clients who either do not have a family physician, or cannot get in to see theirs within a few days of discharge.
Will I be able to be on call for my own private patients or another call group and Inlet Birth at the same time? Yes, as long as the births are planned to happen at RCH.
Who follows up on labs? Caregivers follow up on their own labs. When you are on holiday, a team member can cover for you, and you can return the favour later.
Do you have good MOAs? We have three amazing long-time MOAs working with us, who are highly skilled at what they do, and bring warmth and understanding to clients and caregivers alike.
Do you use an EMR? We use OSCAR EMR at Inlet Birth, and chart encounters for all clinical contact to ensure continuity of care and record.
What about on-call pages? Our on-call line is facilitated by TelMediq, an app-based paging service that triages urgent vs. semi-urgent messages and has built-in backup algorithms to ensure patient safety.
Can I work part time? Yes. We encourage healthy work-life balance at Inlet Birth!
*Enhanced consideration will be given to BIPOC and LGBTQTS+ identified caregivers.
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