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Everyone knows that our health care system is broken. How do we fix it? This year the Maternal and Child Health Section is presenting a unique panel of experts on issues in maternity services for the annual Martha May Eliott forum. Four previous Martha May Eliot winners, Kitty Ernst, RN, CNM, Judith Rooks, RN, CNM, MPH, Ruth Lubic, RN, CNM, EdD, and Charles Mahan, MD will meet as a panel to discuss policy and political factors impacting childbirth in America today. The fragile reality of retaining “normal birth” in an epidemic of C-sections is one issue of concern. Another is the lack of universal access to care. Diony Young, editor of Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care, the Journal, will moderate the session. The panel experts will discuss why it is important to begin at the beginning of a family to implement the balance of high tech and high touch preventive health care system to improve quality and reduce costs while meeting the needs of all of the people. Join us in making history….and feel the passion that made these individuals Martha May Eliott recipients.

Session Objectives: 1. Discuss and Identify Maternal and Child Health policy and political factors impacting childbirth in America Today. 2. Identify barriers to care in today’s health care system for childbearing families. 3. Identify four past Martha May Eliot recipients 4. Identify how to implement the balance of high tech and high touch preventive health care system to improve quality and reduce costs while meeting the needs of all of the people.