St. Joseph Hospital’s Laborist Program

Prompt, continuous, compassionate care. That’s what a Laborist brings to you and your baby.

Whether it is your first child or a sibling to your other children, having a baby is a very special time for you and your family. That’s why it is so important you know about St. Joseph Hospital’s Laborist program.

Started in July 2008, the Laborist program at St. Joseph Hospital helps enhance patient safety for new mothers and their babies. The program provides patients in the Childbirth Center immediate, around-the-clock care by allowing for a Laborist to be on-site at all times.

A Laborist is a qualified OB practitioner who works in Labor and Delivery and is available 24 hours a day to examine patients, evaluate the progress of labor, react to laboratory abnormalities, and provide a safe delivery at St. Joseph Hospital. If an emergency with you or your baby occurs, the Laborist is already on the scene, ready to respond with lifesaving intervention.

Many hospitals around the country are turning to Laborists to enhance patient safety. The constant presence of a qualified OB practitioner at St. Joseph Hospital will help make childbirth even safer for women and babies on the North Coast. Laborists are also available at the hospital whenever a patient or family member has a question regarding care.  Photo by Bob Pottberg ( bob@bobseye.com )  

The obstetricians who serve as laborists for this new program include Drs. Eric Lieberman, Bill Weiderman, Shashi Ajmani and William Koch of the Center for Women’s Health Care, and Dr. D.K. Stokes of Eureka OB/GYN. 

Contact Information:
For more information, call the Center for Women’s Health Care at (707) 444-9664 or Eureka OB/GYN at (707) 269-3605.

To schedule a tour of the Childbirth Center at St. Joseph Hospital, call (707) 269-3605.

Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is a Laborist?
A: A Laborist is a qualified OB practitioner who works in Labor and Delivery, and who is available 24 hours a day to respond to patient needs. The Laborists at St. Joseph Hospital include physicians and certified nurse-midwives.

Q: What does a Laborist do?
A: Laborists help deliver babies and respond to abnormalities or complications that occur during labor.

Q: Which obstetricians are involved with the Laborist program at St. Joseph Hospital?
A: St. Joseph Hospital is fortunate to have highly skilled physicians who specialize in various delivery techniques. The Laborists include Drs. Eric Lieberman, Bill Weiderman, Shashi Ajmani and William Koch of the Center for Women’s Health Care, and Dr. D.K. Stokes of Eureka OB/GYN.