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.
Recently, while working remotely from Cleveland, Ohio, Dr. Jeff Chapa—National Medical Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Obtelecare—found himself caring for complex patients in four different regions of the country over the course of a single day.
Washington.
California.
Mississippi.
New York.
“I kind of looked up at the map in my office and realized I had covered all four corners of the continental United States in one day,” Dr. Chapa said. “You stop and think about it, and it’s pretty incredible.”
For Dr. Chapa, the moment highlighted something larger than technology itself: the ability of telemedicine to extend specialized expertise far beyond traditional geographic limitations.
“We talk so much about the maternal-fetal medicine shortage and how difficult it can be for patients to access services,” he said. “But in one day, I was able to help support complicated patients across the country. That really speaks to the power and potential of telemedicine.”
In many communities, access to maternal-fetal medicine remains limited by geography, workforce shortages, and growing patient demand. TeleMFM helps bridge those gaps by connecting hospitals and care teams with board-certified specialists in real time, without requiring patients to travel long distances for expert consultation.
And increasingly, that reach extends even farther.
“We have doctors on our team seeing patients from Alaska to South Carolina,” Dr. Chapa added. “Telemedicine really changes the scale of what’s possible.”
For hospitals working to expand access to high-risk pregnancy care, telemedicine is more than a convenience. It is a way to bring specialized expertise to patients who might otherwise go without it.
Sometimes, all in a single day.
