Posted on March 17, 2009
Chapter 605 (Hannon): Licensed midwives provide expert healthcare to women and newborns. Specializing in care during a woman’s pregnancy, the birthing process and through the post-delivery period, licensed midwives also provide primary, well-woman gynecological services. There are over 400 midwifery practices in New York State, and midwives currently attend to approximately 11% of all New York State births. Indeed, midwives are an indispensable component of New York’s health care system. Nevertheless, prior to enactment of this law, midwives were not entitled to the same due process considerations, under certain circumstances, which are provided by law to other health care professionals who practice in hospitals.
Under the pre-existing law, a hospital which denies, or refuses to act upon, an application for staff membership or professional privileges from a dentist, optometrist, physician or podiatrist must provide the applicant an explanation of its reasons for doing so (Public Health Law § 2801-b [1]). This chapter adds licensed midwives to the list of professions entitled to such an explanation.
By requiring that a hospital’s consideration of a midwife’s application for staff membership or professional privileges be based on standards of patient care, patient welfare, the objectives of the institution or the character or competency of the applicant, this legislation will ensure that a midwife is not denied membership or privileges based solely on such applicant’s category of licensure.
This chapter allows midwives to practice to the fullest extent of their training and competency, thus enabling them to continue providing quality midwifery services to patients throughout New York State. Signed by Governor Paterson on September 25, 2008, the provisions of this chapter become effective October 25, 2008. (S.4019-A/A.5505-B)
