Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 3, 2020

to offer expert obstetric consultation, diagnosis, treatment, and around- the-clock care and delivery for pregnant hospital patients. The service is available in Kootenai’s Family Birth Center for easy access to state-of-the-art technology and expertise. OB-GYN emergency department services include: • Triage and assessment by a board-certified physician • Active labor confirmation • Diagnosis and treatment of pregnancy-related illnesses (e.g., pre-eclampsia) • Continuous vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) support • Care for high-risk hospitalized pregnant patients • In-house availability for emergency delivery and any other emergency that may arise during labor or postpartum Relief for patients andproviders In addition to caring for patients, OB-GYN hospitalists provide support and relief to community OB-GYNs. Having continuous hospital coverage means community physicians have fewer nights on-call, support for hospital follow-up, and assistance for complicated cases. “Having a program like this is a huge help in creating a better quality of life for our community physicians,” Dr. Meltzer said. “They get fewer nighttime calls, and we’re here to take care of emergency cases. We always make sure to communicate with the patient’s physician so they know what happened and can follow up with their patient. We can also help them out by checking on their patients who have an extended hospital stay so they’re not having to constantly leave their office to come to the hospital. It’s a very collaborative relationship.” The OB-GYN hospitalists also act as a continuous presence and resource for Family Birth Center staff and resident physicians who are completing their OB-GYN rotations. Having these experts available on-site provides a better learning opportunity and consistent source of information. “Having this program takes a lot of the stress of evaluating patients or making high-pressure decisions off of our nursing staff,” Megan Bosworth, Kootenai Health Family Birth Center manager, said. “They really round out our care team by providing these teaching moments and helping our staff operate at a higher level.” KH . ORG 17