Hospitals and medical offices have experienced a lot over the last year regarding how they care for their patients as well as run their offices. One niche continuously on the radar are maternal health issues, including prenatal and postnatal healthcare. This has been an ongoing topic for the last decade and now medical office professionals are taking a stand on how to improve maternal health for expecting women and new mothers.
Comfort and Care Come First
You may think focusing on the care and comfort of patients is an obvious part of the medical profession. However, many medical offices and specialty practitioners will treat their patients with finances in mind first rather than their patients’ best interests being the number one focus.
Over the last several years, more medical professionals—such as those in obstetrics and gynecology—are shifting their practices from hospital settings to office settings to benefit their patients. This is a popular shift among practitioners due to beneficial provider reimbursement, lower patient expenses, convenience with scheduling, and more personalized care. Treating maternal health issues in a more productive, focused setting can bring comfort to both the patient and the specialist.
Programs and Initiatives
In September 2021, the U.S Department of Health and Human Services stated that $350 million dollars worth of aid would go toward providing better care for women during pregnancies, as well as postpartum care and necessary delivery support. This includes funding for home visits, improved data reporting, increased access to doulas and specifically elements of the maternal health crisis that include systemic racism and the availability of affordable, quality healthcare.
How can this help maternal health practitioners working in small office spaces? This aid, as well as programs such as The Healthy Start Initiative, may benefit the patients who enter your office for guidance on their maternal health issues. These initiatives and programs are positive steps toward figuring out how to improve maternal health. When you work in a smaller space, these issues are at the forefront and can be looked at through a more personalized lens.
Office Leadership
The staff morale and energy in your office makes the environment what it will be for the patients who enter for care. Those who walk through your office doors seeking maternal health care want to make sure that they are receiving individualized care. Large, busy hospitals with overworked staff cannot always give that one-on-one care so many expecting mothers and postpartum women seek.
Practitioners are working toward “whole person care” models to better benefit their patients. Office managers are diligently working with their team to find unique ways to give women the quality care they deserve during and after pregnancy. By scheduling regular team meetings that discuss ways to improve office morale and maintain leadership roles, maternal health issues will be faced with more comfort and confidence.