COVID-19 and the lockdown orders it ushered in prevented many people—including pregnant women, who rely on regularly scheduled medical checkups for safe deliveries and healthy babies—from accessing health care. 

To fill a need, USF Health initiated telemedicine appointments for obstetric patients at the beginning of the pandemic.

“Because the obstetric population is a highly at-risk group, immediate alternative ways to safely access and continue care needed to be provided,” Chinyere Reid, a USF College of Public Health (COPH) PhD candidate focusing on perinatal health issues, said. “Telemedicine was not a service offered at USF Health obstetric clinics prior to the pandemic, so it was important to evaluate the rollout of this telemedicine model of care as it was occurring, from the in-depth lens of providers and patients involved.” 

Reid’s analysis, “Evaluation of a Rapid Implementation of Telemedicine for Delivery of Obstetric Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic,” was published in the journal Telemedicine and e-Health in April. Co-authors of the article were the COPH’s Associate Professor Dr. Jennifer Marshall and USF Health Assistant Professor of obstetrics and gynecology Dr. Kimberly Fryer.

Reid and her colleagues found that despite the limited training doctors had in transitioning to telemedicine, most felt adequately prepared. And, perhaps more importantly, their patients were confident participating in telehealth appointments and appreciated the convenience and safety it afforded during a worldwide pandemic.

“Although most providers had never been exposed to telemedicine prior to the pandemic, I think most felt comfortable [using it]. They were receptive to its implementation given there were very limited options to deliver care safely during the pandemic,” Reid explained. “Also, the evaluation revealed that the implementation was streamlined very well and adequate training, resources and technical support were provided.”

Of course, there are limitations to telemedicine in obstetric care when things like weight, blood pressure and fetal heart rates have to be regularly monitored. 

Reid noted that if patients didn’t have at-home equipment to monitor such vitals, or they weren’t covered by insurance, the equipment could be provided by the hospital. And patients deemed high-risk—for example, because they had preeclampsia (high blood pressure that occurs during pregnancy that can have serious health risks for mother and baby)—were required to have in-person as well as telemedicine visits.  

Reid said both doctors and patients looked favorably upon telemedicine—and not just for its convenience and safety.

“Telehealth appointments provided shorter wait times and longer uninterrupted visit times, allowing for increased counseling and personal connections with patients, and it reduced the need for travel and childcare services,” she said. “Also, amid job losses during the pandemic, many obstetric providers expressed that telemedicine enabled them to remain employed.”

So, is telehealth here to stay? Reid thinks so.

“Given that telemedicine was rapidly implemented over a short period and most obstetric providers had no prior telemedicine experience, I was surprised by the perceived ease of implementation and providers’ desire to continue to use telemedicine even after the pandemic ends,” Reid noted. “Telemedicine may be an ideal care option for remote monitoring of low-risk obstetric patients despite the fact that some patients may always prefer in-person care.”

Story by Donna Campisano, USF College of Public Health