Leveraging Virtual Tools to Mitigate Maternity Care Deserts

They launched the Maternal Health Connection (MHC) to tackle maternity care deserts using a hybrid model of virtual, in-person, and home-based care. Their team—OB-GYNs, RNs, and doulas—offers pre-pregnancy to postpartum services, with initial visits in local clinics and follow-ups virtually or at home. They use telehealth and remote patient monitoring to reduce travel needs and improve maternal outcomes. Funded by an RMOMS grant, they began in Montana and expanded to Wyoming after hospital closures. They engage communities, map existing services, and advocate for sustainability through CMS reimbursement and doula support. As they apply for more grants, they remain focused on improving maternal access and outcomes in underserved areas across the Intermountain West.