Each November, National Rural Health Day shines a light on the challenges—and the resilience—of rural communities across the country. For Ob Hospitalist Group (OBHG), it’s an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to closing the maternal health gap and supporting hospitals that serve as vital lifelines for women and families.
A continued crisis in rural women’s health
For the fourth consecutive year, the United States has earned a D+ on the March of Dimes report card for maternal and infant health outcomes. Rural families continue to face the greatest barriers, including limited access to OB/GYN care, long travel distances, and provider shortages that leave many hospitals struggling to sustain vital services.
OBHG is addressing these challenges through two complementary programs designed to bring high-quality women’s health care where it’s needed most: Maternal Health Access Solutions (MHAS) and Obtelecare, powered by OBHG.
Expanding local care through MHAS
With more rural hospitals at risk of losing OB/GYN services, OBHG’s Maternal Health Access Solutions (MHAS) program helps communities sustain and grow women’s health care close to home.
“There are more than 2.3 million women in the U.S. who simply don’t have easy, convenient access to healthcare. When the alternative is to drive an hour or more to the next major city for care, a lot of them make the tough decision to simply go without,” says Jami Walker, Vice President of Maternal Health Access Solutions at Ob Hospitalist Group. “The MHAS program is about meeting rural hospitals where they are, with the shared mission of helping those women access the healthcare they need in their own communities.”
Today, OBHG partners with more than 45 small birthing hospitals, primarily in rural areas, through its MHAS program, providing tailored blends of hospital availability and clinic support—all with the goal of ensuring that women can receive care in their own communities.
The next evolution of rural women’s healthcare
In 2025, OBHG expanded its mission through Obtelecare, a new telehealth service line that connects hospitals and clinicians with board-certified maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) subspecialists in real time. While Obtelecare is available to any hospital, its impact is especially promising for rural facilities, where access to subspecialty care is often limited. The March of Dimes continues to advocate for telemedicine as part of a multipronged strategy to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity in rural America. There are only about 2,000 MFM specialists in the United States, and 95% live and practice in major cities or near academic medical centers—yet maternal vulnerability remains most concentrated in rural areas.
“There’s an opportunity to do more—and to do better—for women and babies in rural parts of the country,” says Dr. Jeff Chapa, National Medical Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Obtelecare. “A ZIP code should never define the level of care a woman can receive during her pregnancy. Through Obtelecare, we’re making subspecialty care more accessible and helping hospitals provide the right expertise, at the right time, no matter where a patient lives.”
By integrating virtual MFM consultations into hospital workflows, Obtelecare gives on-site clinicians access to critical expertise, reduces unnecessary patient transfers, and helps hospitals manage high-risk pregnancies locally. The program represents the next step in OBHG’s ongoing innovation—finding new, effective ways to improve outcomes for mothers and babies nationwide.
A shared mission
This National Rural Health Day, OBHG honors the hospitals and clinicians delivering care in rural America. Through programs like MHAS and Obtelecare, we’re building innovative, sustainable ways to ensure women and babies receive the care they deserve—no matter where they live.