By Melanie Koenig – January 27, 2026
You may have heard that Reedsburg Area Medical Center has updated its birth delivery model, moving to a more formalized on-call rotation for providers who attend deliveries. For some moms, especially those planning to use midwifery care, this has raised questions about what to expect when it comes time to deliver.
To help provide clarity and understanding, I met with Dr. Christine Trautman, OB/GYN and Center Chief of Women’s Health Services at Reedsburg Area Medical Center, to talk through why this model was formally adopted and how it works in practice.
This Isn’t as New as It Feels
One of the key points Dr. Trautman emphasized is that this approach isn’t much different from how deliveries have always worked at RAMC.
Even in the past, if your primary doctor or midwife wasn’t available when you went into labor, care was provided by whomever was on call. What’s different now is that this process has been more clearly structured and formalized, not that the philosophy or quality of care has changed.
Many hospitals across Wisconsin and throughout the U.S. use similar on-call systems. As a healthcare culture, there’s been growing recognition of how provider fatigue can impact decision-making and patient safety. This model reflects a broader shift toward supporting provider wellness so they can continue delivering safe, high-quality care over the long term.
Midwives Often Chosen as a Central Part of Care
Dr. Trautman shared that many patients are choosing midwifery care, and RAMC has intentionally responded to that preference by hiring additional midwives in recent years, currently employing three (3) with consideration for continued expansion.
At this time, many of the providers on call are in fact midwives, so many patients will still have a midwife present for their delivery. If medical needs arise during labor, the team is available to step in, and additional support is always in place for more complex or surgical care. This team-based approach ensures that the right level of care is available at every stage, without changing the overall birth experience for most patients. Regardless of provider specialty, the goal is safe, patient-centered care, always.
Think of It as Your Village
Dr. Trautman encouraged families to think of their care as being provided by a village rather than a single individual.
Midwives, like doctors, each have their own styles — no two providers practice exactly the same way. That said, patient preferences continue to guide decision-making whenever it is safe to do so. The Birth Center team is aligned in their approach, and the shared goal remains the same: supporting the labor and birth experience you want while keeping both you and your baby safe.
Whoever is with you during labor is there to support your choices, advocate for you, and provide evidence-based care.
What Care Looks Like for Patients
From a patient perspective, care is designed to remain consistent.
When a patient calls with a positive pregnancy test, they connect with RAMC’s Women’s Health Nurse Care Coordinator who carefully listens and helps guide early decisions including provider preferences, scheduling, and education. Some patients choose to see one provider consistently during prenatal care, while others meet multiple members of the team, with the understanding that delivery coverage is based on who is on call that day.
Why This Model Matters
Wisconsin is losing birth centers at an alarming rate, largely due to challenges in recruiting and retaining providers who practice obstetrics. RAMC’s priority is to ensure that obstetric care remains available in our community and that requires supporting the long-term wellness of the people providing that care.
This model allows providers to:
- Work within fatigue-safe schedules
- Be fully present and rested when caring for patients
- Sustain long, meaningful careers in obstetrics
- Maintain healthier work–life balance, including the ability to be present for family and personal commitments
Dr. Trautman noted that nurses and other care professionals already operate under strict fatigue rules and are not allowed to work beyond set limits. This approach extends the same patient-safety mindset to providers who attend deliveries.
The Takeaway
As Dr. Trautman summarized:
- This model isn’t drastically different from before
- It’s necessary to preserve obstetric care in our community
- It prioritizes patient safety and provider wellness
- Midwifery care remains a core part of the obstetric experience
- RAMC’s village of providers include certified nurse midwives, family practice physicians with Obstetric Care, OB/GYN’s and a general surgeon – all with skill, compassion and a love for the services they are honored to provide
The request from RAMC is one of trust. Trust in their team-based model, trust that care philosophies are shared, and trust that this structure allows Reedsburg Area Medical Center to continue offering local birth services at a time when many communities are losing them.
If you have questions or concerns about this, please reach out to Carla Mercer, Director of Customer Experience at 608-768-6246.