OB-GYN Consultants and Sharp the BirthPlace: an exemplar of nurse-midwife and obstetrician interdependence and integration.

The "co-management" model of perinatal care as practiced at OB-GYN Consultants and Sharp The BirthPlace maximizes the practice strengths of both nurse-midwives and obstetricians. The nurse-midwife is the primary provider for 95% of the clients; high-risk women are referred to the physician as appropriate. The model provides extensive health education and an option of a freestanding birth center for low-risk women. In the face of rapid health care changes, which emphasize cost effectiveness, this model has appealing features for managed care systems.