By Tori Hinde
This month marked 10 years that Midwife Allison Koch has been a care provider at WBWC. This is a milestone in her 34-year career that has focused on supporting and caring for women. Allison arrived at WBWC after leaving her successful midwifery practice in rural, upstate New York, where she began her career as a nurse.
Allison first went to nursing school in the 1980s, after her first child was born. She was drawn to nursing because of the variety of things she could do with the degree. As she floated around to different positions, trying to find her fit, she realized that she always gravitated toward case management and any opportunity to build a relationship with her patients and their families. When a temporary position opened up in labor and delivery, several other nurses encouraged her to apply. By the end of the first month, her position was made permanent. She had found her new home.
“It was an incredible place to learn and grow up with vaginal birth. I did that for 12-13 years, and over that time, the dynamic changed a bit as some of the family medicine doctors retired from doing obstetrics. As the balance shifted away from family medicine toward more and more OBs, little by little, it became a more medicalized birth environment,” said Allison. “As that was happening, and while I was teaching childbirth classes and training new nurses, I was having a hard time seeing how this would end for women in my care. I had a particularly tough night and decided that I either needed to get out of labor and delivery or go back to school and get more education so I can be part of the solution. Within 24 hours, I decided I was going back to school.”
Allison dove into her studies. First, she completed a satellite program to earn her BSN. Then, with the help of funding to train nurse practitioners to serve in rural areas, she began a distance learning Master’s of Midwifery program with SUNY-Stony Brook while continuing to work part-time as a labor and delivery nurse.
“Even though it was challenging, I read the books cover to cover, highlighted things that seemed important to ME,” said Allison. “We were challenged to think for ourselves, and it was a great way to learn and build who I am as a practitioner. When you are working as a midwife you have to be an independent thinker.”
Allison started her own practice right out of midwifery school. Hers was the first independent midwifery practice in the area. Her practice was a success and was open for 7 years. Then a malpractice crisis in the state of New York lead malpractice insurance rates to increase 14-fold, effectively putting Allison’s independent practice out of business. Despite patient protests and legislators’ attempts to intervene, the malpractice insurance was just too much.
Meanwhile, Allison was planning her next step. The midwife who ran the billing service she used suggested that Allison check out this awesome birth center in NC that was looking for a midwife. Allison came down for an interview, and the rest is history.
We are so grateful for the wisdom that Allison brings to WBWC. After 10 years of supporting pregnant women and catching babies at WBWC, Allison is now focused on primary care, including peri-menopausal and menopausal women, while still caring for pregnant women. “I like the integrative approach using natural therapies,” said Allison. “Moms are critical in this culture and not very well supported. I feel it is a very important role that I can fill for women who are not pregnant.”
In Allison’s office and exam room, everything is designed to make you feel comfortable and at ease. Her room is decorated with her own furniture, art, and tapestries. It is warm and inviting and immediately puts you at ease.
“If you come sit in my office I may ask questions outside of health care. I’m learning about you and your process and what’s going to serve you best,” said Allison. “Everything in your life affects your health. Everything in your health affects your life. You cannot separate mind and body. That is a model that requires longer visits and building relationships. I think women are worth that time.”
Thank you, Allison for your 10 years of service. We are so grateful to you! We value the wisdom that you bring not only to your patients but that you share so willingly with the rest of the WBWC team.