Table.

Potential Respectful Maternity Care Indicators for Quality Improvement and Community Score Cards, by Domain

Potential Information Source
Community-Based/Exit Surveys With WomenFacility Assessments/Observations
Dignified care
1. Women treated with respect (subject to women's/local interpretation)XaX
2. Providers introduce themselves to womenXX
3. Women treated in a friendly manner (subject to women's/local interpretation)XX
4. Women called by nameXX
Privacy and confidentiality
5. Physical privacy ensured (e.g., examined behind screens or curtains and other physical visual barriers)XX
6. Auditory privacy ensured (Private patient health information not heard by others)XX
7. Patient records and medical files are kept confidential (not accessible to people not involved in care provision)XX
No abuse
8. No verbal abuse (insults, intimidation, shouting, scolding, threatening)XX
9. No physical abuse (slapping, hitting, pushing, pinching, restraining, or otherwise beating the patient)XX
10. No episiotomy given or sutured without anesthesiaXX
Autonomy
11. Providers explain to women what to expect and any medications administered, or procedures performedXX
12. Women give informed consent prior to procedures and examinationsXX
13. Women and family involved in care (e.g., decision making on treatment and procedures)XX
14. Women allowed to assume position of choice during labor and deliveryXX
Communication
15. Women encouraged to and able to ask questionsXX
16. Providers speaks to women in a language and at a language-level that they understandXX
Supportive care
17. Women allowed to have choice of companion during labor and deliveryXX
18. Not denying women care (e.g., refusing care for any reason)XX
19. Not abandoning women during labor and delivery (e.g., not responding to woman's call for help)XX
20. Providers ask about emotional feelings and concerns of womenXX
21. Women trust staff (subject to women's interpretation)X
Facility environment
22. Cleanliness of facilityXX
23. Facility is perceived safeXX
24. Facility not overcrowded/woman has own bedXX
25. Facility has electricityXX
26. Facility has waterXX
27. Enough providers
Responsiveness
28. Perception of wait timeX
29. Actual wait timesXX
30. Payment/equity/cost
31. No discrimination or poor treatment based on ethnicity, race, economic status, HIV status, birth outcomes, age, number of childrenXX
32. Not requesting bribes or informal paymentsXX
33. Women not detained at facilities due to lack of paymentXX
34. Health care services affordable for allXX
  • a X denotes that it can be obtained from relevant potential data source.

  • Supplement 1 has full list of sources for each indicator.