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What you should know:
- Philips Foundation, with its mission to provide access to quality health care to 100 million people annually in underserved communities by 2030, facilitates access to prenatal care through March of Dimes Mom & Baby Mobile Health Centers ® in Phoenix, Tucson and Washington, DC.
- Through this partnership, Philips will provide point-of-care ultrasound technology with telehealth capabilities in three mobile health centers, support staffing and operational needs, and provide allocations to local healthcare partners and agents community health.
Improving access to prenatal care in underserved communities
Compared to other wealthy countries, the United States still struggles with the highest maternal mortality rate. Despite the critical role of quality prenatal care in ensuring maternal health and positive birth outcomes, more than 550,000 women in the United States do not have access to such care each year. The introduction of mobile health services has proven effective in bridging this accessibility gap.
Studies indicate that patients who use mobile health clinics feel more confident navigating the complex medical scheduling and billing processes within the healthcare system as a whole. These clinics, staffed by local healthcare professionals, are also supported by 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.
With a focus on sustainability and scalability, this initiative combines technology with comprehensive staff training, serving as a model for providing high-quality maternal care that can be replicated in underserved areas. Routine ultrasound scans play a vital role in monitoring the health, development and pregnancy progression of the fetus, as well as detecting birth defects. However, nearly half of U.S. counties do not have hospitals offering obstetric services. The introduction of teleultrasound not only facilitates imaging to assess and monitor prenatal health risks, but also enables real-time collaboration between healthcare providers, thereby improving the quality of prenatal care for pregnant women . This technology enables remote sharing of diagnostic information and connection with high-risk obstetric specialists, enabling local clinical staff and community health workers to provide quality care and improve patient outcomes .
Jeff DiLullo, Chief Regional Manager at Philips North America, highlighted the urgency of addressing high maternal mortality rates in the country, emphasizing the need for collective innovation and implementation of solutions that prioritize to maternal health and safety. He expressed hope that the collaboration with March of Dimes, aimed at providing care to underserved communities, would serve as a model for expanding access to better health care for more individuals.