1. Anne Patterson, MD
CEO Women’s Telehealth
Atlanta, GA

2.  Our mission: “To bring scarce high risk
maternal fetal medicine services to underserved
areas via telemedicine”.
 Our Services:
 Ultrasound Store and Forward
 Maternal Fetal Medicine Consults
 Remote “Grand Rounds”
 Remote long distance learning for Sonographers
 Specialty “high risk clinics” for HTN, GDM, etc.

3.  Making Progress: Telemedicine is increasing
access for women in underserved areas.
 Pilot program with state health department
 5049 Completed MFM telemedicine encounters
 Women have access to MFM subspecialty care
in their home communities > 80% of cases

4.  Removes access barriers
for MFM services
 Decreases cost per pt
(saving time and $)
 Facilitates continuity of
care if hospital is needed
 Improved patient
compliance
 Enhanced patient
experience

5. Burke Medical
Center OB Unit
Closed 12/2012
Cook Medical
Center OB Unit
Closed 7/2013
159 Counties in
Georgia.
BUT :
< 80 counties
provide
Obstetric care!

6. · Georgia ranks 50th in maternal mortality
· Georgia ranks 41st out of 50 states in rates of
teen pregnancy and additionally has the
4th highest repeat teen pregnancy rate in the
United States
·Georgia ranks 45th out of 50 states in the high
number of low birth weight babies born
·Georgia ranks 42nd out of 50 states in
premature births.
Georgia OB Statistics Need Improving:
MFM Telemedicine/Access Can Help

7. Preliminary Outcomes:
• Improved patient compliance
• Rural area coverage expanding with telemedicine
• Innovative antepartum education identifies and
leads to earlier high risk intervention, < problems
• Patient acceptance and satisfaction high
• Obstetrician/ MFM Specialist relations enhanced
• Healthcare transitions across settings enhanced
• Preterm births decreased from 18% to 8% in target
areas of state
• Low birth weight rate decreased from 16% to 5%
• Government, hospitals, carriers monitoring results
MFM Telemedicine is Impacting
Outcomes

8. GA Percent of Births, Very preterm (less than 32 weeks), Preterm
(32-36 weeks) by Public Health District, All Public Health Districts,
2008-2011

9. Video recorded in February 2014
at the Georgia State Capitol.
Presentations made in both Senate
and House of Representatives so
they could experience “live”
telemedicine for themselves and
interact with high risk OB patient
from Dougherty Co. Health Dept.