Hospitals banning cameras from delivery room

Hospitals Weigh Bans on Videos of Birth

Short version: some hospitals have been moving to ban video and pictures during childbirth, largely out of concern that the images will be used in lawsuits but also because of privacy concerns.

On the one hand I think that each hospital should be free to make whatever policy they like in regards to cameras, so long as patients who are planning on delivering there are informed ahead of time so they can plan accordingly.

On the other, some of the self-absorbed quotes from the doctors in that article made me sprain my eyes from rolling them:

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“I openly admit to my co-workers that I practice defensive medicine,” [Dr. Hamilton] said. But he said he “takes offense” that “now I have to be videoed to prove that I’m providing good care.”

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While there might really be people out there who are making video of their births just in case something goes wrong, the vast and overwhelming majority just want to have video of the birth. It's something important to them and has nothing to do with the staff.

For myself, I can't fathom wanting to have a camera involved in a situation that's going to involve blood, mucus, feces and God only knows what else. I'd rather remember the baby (and myself) when we're both looking a little better.

This is pure bullshit to me. The hospitals should not be allowed to make this choice for their patients. If the parents want to film it they should be allowed to. For a lot of people, only one hospital is really available for them and having that hospital make archaic and self-serving decisions like this is bullshit.

Further if part of the concern is lawsuits, well I have two problems with this.
A) Doctor's should have to screw up fairly badly to trigger a lawsuit, not some minor procedural action or minor mistake. If the Doctor does make a bad mistake and video start getting these butchers out of the field it is a positive for society at large.
B) Tort Reform is really needed when it comes to medical malpractice.

It should be the mother's choice as to whether filming should or should not occur.

If she agrees, it should be with one big exception. If the person filming gets in the way during the birth, or more importantly, during an emergency due to complications, which could occur, then the hospital should have the right to have security remove them.

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Originally posted by CatInASuit

It should be the mother's choice as to whether filming should or should not occur.

If she agrees, it should be with one big exception. If the person filming gets in the way during the birth, or more importantly, during an emergency due to complications, which could occur, then the hospital should have the right to have security remove them.

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I agree with this completely. Anything that makes it easier for the mom to get through childbirth should be encouraged. For those that like to tape it, they should have the choice, not the Doctor or worse some risk adverse administrator.

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Originally posted by What Exit?

If the Doctor does make a bad mistake and video start getting these butchers out of the field it is a positive for society at large.

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IIRC, obstetrics has the highest malpractice rates of any medical field. One of the reasons for this is that birth is risky, yet people have a hard time grasping this. Sometimes babies die and there is nothing that can be done or the mother has a stroke during the birth or the baby is cut off from oxygen briefly and suffers nerve damage. The people who know these risks best and know when they're avoidable and when they aren't are the doctors. Not the lawyers or judges or juries or plaintiffs. So if a case goes to court, a video with parents crying and a dead baby is going to sway everyone in their favor even if the doctor did everything right. Even if expert testimony is on the doctor's side, the emotional response to video might push people to view the doctor as a "butcher."

Again, you are describing a problem with our court system. Not with mothers wanting a tape of the birth.

Seeing as how the problem with the court system does exist and isn't getting fixed, the hospitals are approaching the problem this way. They can't fix the system, but they can control who takes video in the hospital.

I don't think it's the best way to deal with it, but they do have valid reasons for having concerns. Saying that malpractice suits should be handled differently is grand, but until they are handled differently that isn't accomplishing anything.

This still should not trump a mother's wishes (IMO)

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Originally posted by Zuul

Seeing as how the problem with the court system does exist and isn't getting fixed, the hospitals are approaching the problem this way. They can't fix the system, but they can control who takes video in the hospital.

I don't think it's the best way to deal with it, but they do have valid reasons for having concerns. Saying that malpractice suits should be handled differently is grand, but until they are handled differently that isn't accomplishing anything.

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I agree with this. Malpractice suits are way out of hand, and I don't have a problem with a hospital trying to protect its staff. I also do not think that having a video camera up your crotch while you're giving birth is a fundamental human right.

I love your way with words, Orual. :D

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Originally posted by Orual

I agree with this. Malpractice suits are way out of hand, and I don't have a problem with a hospital trying to protect its staff. I also do not think that having a video camera up your crotch while you're giving birth is a fundamental human right.

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So we all agree on the real problem.

Why does it need to be a fundamental right? Neither my wife or I had any desire for the birthing movie but we both know plenty that did. Why should this be taken away from the mothers instead of either fixing the real problem or gets courts to not accept amateur video in court for these cases?

Because the hospital has the right to protect its staff. Especially since the law won't do it. Do you really think that such a tort-reform law would have an easy time getting passed? I can already see the ads: "Do you really want those EVIL DOCTORS to GET AWAY with KILLING/MAIMING your BABIES/DEAR OLD MOTHER?!?!!! _{vote no on Prop 234spqr}"

Repubs are pushing hard for Tort reform to allow the Healthcare Bill to stay intact. We might finally get it. Torts have been hurting America badly for most of my life.

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Originally posted by What Exit?

Why does it need to be a fundamental right? Neither my wife or I had any desire for the birthing movie but we both know plenty that did. Why should this be taken away from the mothers instead of either fixing the real problem or gets courts to not accept amateur video in court for these cases?

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The thing is, there are a lot of things you give up control over when you decide where you're going to give birth. Most hospitals will have policies regarding food and drink, when to administer pitocin, when an episiotomy is required, when a c-section is required, what sort of monitoring is required, when the mother will need to be hooked up to an IV regardless of whether she plans on having a medicated birth or not, the position the mother can be in when she gives birth, who can attend, etc. If people want a birth where they can control everything, they're either going to have to find a hospital that caters to their desires or go the birth clinic/midwife route. Some hospitals have policies that some mothers don't like and all hospitals shouldn't have to cater to all people.

Ya reckon they're lumping photos in with videos so they don't have to argue with folks about digital cameras that take both stills and vid? Pictures from hospital births have been around for years, never heard of anyone using a photo in a court case, it's more about first pics of the new baby and happy family. Hell, the first thing we all do when someone announces a birth is start screaming for pictures.

I suppose there's nothing preventing them from banning cameras from hospitals, it's close enough to being in line with their privacy requirements that they'd easily be able to implement it. I'm not a doctor though and all I have is a few nurse friends. So my only experience in this is that there is a small small segment of clients who you know are going to be complete pains in the ass the moment you meet them, and I would gladly ban cameras for everybody just to shut that small small segment up.

Good thinking Tonya! We'll charge them for the photos that the Hospital takes for them. LIke amusement parks after you get off the roller coaster!

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Originally posted by Queen Tonya

Hell, the first thing we all do when someone announces a birth is start screaming for pictures.

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I know it's true, but it really doesn't make any sense. Nephew is coming up on 3 weeks old, and he still just looks like a potato in a hat.

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Originally posted by hatesfreedom

So my only experience in this is that there is a small small segment of clients who you know are going to be complete pains in the ass the moment you meet them, and I would gladly ban cameras for everybody just to shut that small small segment up.

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Weirdly I'd actually had the same thought. I'm not a doctor and am not going to be involved in any birthing processes, but I can imagine some people trying to take video getting really obnoxious and a blanket policy making it a lot easier than having to school everybody on how to make a birth video without being a giant douche and getting in the doctor's way.