When designing an obstetrics unit, a hospital often narrows its options to two distinct types:
- LDR: Labor, Delivery, and Recovery—Patients are moved from the LDR room into a separate postpartum room following birth.
- LDRP: Labor, Delivery, Recovery, and Postpartum—Patients spend their entire hospital stay in a single room.
While each unit type has positive features, neither has been shown to produce better clinical outcomes, provide a more enhanced experience, or be safer for patients. This makes determining which unit to choose difficult for hospitals—and emphasizes the importance of each facility making an informed decision based on desired care model and cost per case. The purpose of this article is to outline four key considerations for facilities and obstetrics unit leadership during this decision-making process.
Published July 18, 2019