Medscape: Rise of OB Hospitalists Reduces Maternal Health Deserts

Medscape: Rise of OB Hospitalists Reduces Maternal Health Deserts

Medscape Medical News examines how OB hospitalists are helping hospitals maintain obstetric coverage as maternity care deserts grow, citing a March of Dimes report that found 1 in 3 U.S. counties now qualifies. The article also covers the workforce and economic pressures behind the shortage, particularly in rural areas.

Two Ob Hospitalist Group (OBHG) physicians contributed. Dr. Christina Adams, an OB hospitalist at Flagler Hospital in St. Augustine, Florida, explained how OB hospitalists can serve as the primary obstetric team in rural communities or back up community clinicians so they can sustain their office practices.

Dr. Wesley Davis, OBHG’s vice president of clinical operations, discussed the model’s appeal to clinicians, including a schedule of five to seven 24-hour shifts a month and clearer boundaries between work and personal life. The piece also cites a Mayo Clinic-led study linking OB hospitalist staffing to lower rates of severe maternal morbidity.

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