5 signs your hospital needs maternal-fetal medicine telehealth services
High-risk pregnancies are becoming more complex, while access to maternal-fetal medicine remains limited in many communities. For hospitals and health systems, this creates a growing challenge: how do you provide timely specialty support for high-risk patients when MFM care resources are scarce, stretched, or difficult to recruit?
What makes a teleMFM program actually work?
In 1959, physicians at the University of Nebraska began experimenting with two-way video consultations, using interactive television to conduct neurological exams and submit information to students across campus. Just a few years later, they expanded the model to connect with a hospital more than 100 miles away. Now, more than 60 years later, the technology behind telemedicine is no longer in question. The question now is trust—from patients, from the frontline clinicians who care for them, and from the healthcare leaders responsible for building sustainable systems of care.
Preeclampsia and the importance of timely access to maternal-fetal medicine
At 32 weeks pregnant, a patient arrives at her local community hospital after weeks without prenatal care. She lives hours away from the nearest specialty provider, and routine appointments became increasingly difficult to access. A few days earlier, she began to notice that something felt wrong. She presents to the emergency room complaining of swelling, blurred vision, and a severe headache that just won’t go away.
Coast to coast care: How teleMFM defies the map to meet patients closer to home
The maternal-fetal medicine workforce shortage is often discussed in terms of statistics: too few specialists, too many patients, too many communities without access to care. But sometimes, the impact of telemedicine becomes clearer in a single moment.
The Obstetrics Podcast: Expanding access to maternal-fetal medicine through telehealth
Access to maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) remains a challenge for many patients, particularly in rural and underserved communities where specialty care may be hours away. In a recent episode of the Obstetrics Podcast, Tiffany Tonismae, MD, FACOG discussed how telemedicine is helping close those gaps and reshape the future of high-risk pregnancy care.
What we heard at Becker’s: Key takeaways on telemedicine from healthcare leaders
Each year, Becker’s Healthcare Annual Meeting brings together leaders from across the country to discuss the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of healthcare. This year, one theme came through clearly in conversations at the conference: access remains one of the most pressing issues—and telemedicine continues to play a critical role in addressing it.
Telehealth and the future of high-risk obstetric care in rural America
At this year’s American Hospital Association (AHA) Rural Health Care Leadership Conference, one message was clear: access to care for women in rural communities remains under pressure. With more than half of rural counties lacking hospital-based obstetric services and over 130 rural hospitals closed since 2010, leaders spoke candidly about sustainability challenges, workforce shortages, and the difficult tradeoffs required to keep essential services available.
Obtelecare expands California presence with Mercy Hospital Southwest Bakersfield teleMFM program
Obtelecare announces the launch of a new teleMFM program at Mercy Hospital Southwest in Bakersfield, California. The program was implemented in just 99 days, further expanding access to maternal-fetal medicine services in the region.
What SMFM’s Special Statement means for access to maternal-fetal medicine care
In February 2026, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) released a Special Statement highlighting a growing national challenge: declining access to obstetrical and maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) care, particularly in rural communities.
Obtelecare enhances OBHG partnership with teleMFM launch at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital
Obtelecare announces the launch of a new teleMFM program at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital in Bakersfield, California. The program was implemented in just 105 days, expanding access to maternal-fetal medicine services for patients across Kern County.
On-demand webinar – Cannabis use during pregnancy: What clinicians need to know
As legalization expands and public perception shifts, clinicians are increasingly navigating complex conversations with pregnant patients about cannabis. The session, led by Dr. Jeff Chapa, National Medical Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Obtelecare, along with Dr. Greta Hanson, OB Hospitalist and Site Director with Ob Hospitalist Group, explored current evidence, common misconceptions, and practical counseling strategies grounded in maternal-fetal medicine expertise.
5 takeaways from the SMFM 2026 Pregnancy Meeting
The conversations at SMFM 2026 reflected a specialty under pressure, but also in transition. Rising clinical complexity, uneven access to maternal-fetal medicine providers, and evolving workforce expectations are reshaping how high-risk obstetric care is delivered. The result is a clear shift toward distributed care models that blend on-site practice with telemedicine-enabled support. Here are the shifts that stood out most clearly.
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