Doula Programs: Data Collection is Essential

Is your doula program collecting data on client outcomes?

You should be! Evaluation is an essential component of program development. At a minimum, gather demographics on clients served and keep track of services provided. More and more, funders are requiring that grant objectives be framed in terms of measurable outcomes. Funders want to know specifically how their grant made a difference for the target population. Simply reporting on numbers served and how those numbers break down (i.e., documenting the process) is not the same as demonstrating the value of what you are doing. Outcomes are the name of the game.

Ideally, the clients served by the program should also be solicited for feedback on their experience of having a doula. Involvement of constituents in program development and evaluation ensures that your program evolves in a culturally responsive way.

One collective goal of doula programs should be to demonstrate the value that doulas bring in terms of prevention (lower incidence of complications), health care savings, improved short- and long-term mother-baby outcomes, and meeting unmet needs in high-risk populations. We know that doulas make an important contribution to the field of maternal-infant health. We just need to keep documenting that fact as we endeavor to mainstream doulas.

The Doula Programs blog provides a forum for doula program visionaries and implementers to consider common challenges, ask questions, and learn from each other. Patty Brennan is the author of The Doula Business Guide: Creating a Successful MotherBaby Business.

Posted by Patty Brennan on November 18, 2010 • Filed under Doula Programs
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