What You Should Know:
- Philips Foundation, with its mission to provide access to quality healthcare for 100 million people a year in underserved communities by 2030, is facilitating access to prenatal care through March of Dimes Mom & Baby Mobile Health Centers® in Phoenix, Tucson and Washington, DC.
- Through the partnership, Philips will provide point-of-care ultrasound technology with telehealth capabilities in three mobile health centers as well as support staffing and operational needs and provide allowances for local healthcare partners and community health workers.
Improving Prenatal Care Access in Underserved Communities
In comparison to other wealthy nations, the United States still struggles with the highest maternal mortality rate. Despite the crucial role of quality prenatal care in ensuring maternal health and positive birth outcomes, more than 550,000 women in the US lack access to such care each year. The introduction of mobile healthcare services has proven effective in bridging this accessibility gap.
Studies indicate that patients who utilize mobile health clinics feel more confident in navigating the complex medical scheduling and billing processes within the broader healthcare system. These clinics, staffed by local healthcare professionals, are further supported through partnerships with local clinical organizations, facilitated by March of Dimes. This collaborative approach ensures that communities with limited maternity care resources receive essential care, education, and support.
Emphasizing sustainability and scalability, this initiative combines technology with comprehensive staff training, serving as a model for delivering high-quality maternal healthcare that can be replicated in underserved areas. Routine ultrasounds play a vital role in monitoring a fetus’s health, development, and pregnancy progress, as well as in detecting congenital anomalies. However, almost half of all US counties lack hospitals offering obstetric services. The introduction of tele-ultrasound not only facilitates imaging for assessing and monitoring prenatal health risks but also enables real-time collaboration among healthcare providers, thereby enhancing the quality of prenatal care for pregnant women. This technology allows for remote sharing of diagnostic information and connection with high-risk obstetric specialists, empowering local clinical staff and community health workers to deliver quality care and improve patient outcomes.
Jeff DiLullo, chief region leader at Philips North America, emphasized the urgency of addressing the high maternal mortality rates in the country, stressing the need for collective innovation and implementation of solutions prioritizing maternal health and safety. He expressed hope that the collaboration with March of Dimes, aimed at delivering care to underserved communities, would serve as a model for expanding access to better healthcare for more individuals.
