Just over six years ago, in an effort to address the significant number of women who were delivering babies at ETMC Athens without having received prenatal care, the hospital opened an on-site OB clinic.
Thanks to the amazing care of the nurses there and doctors who volunteered their time, the clinic cut the number of premature deliveries in the area and provided care for mothers and babies who otherwise would have suffered for lack of routine prenatal care.
The clinic has been a resounding success, but OB Clinic Coordinator Marie Taylor, RN, saw a problem.
“We have pregnant women on the west side of the county who are falling through the cracks,” said Taylor. “They feel they have to go to Dallas or somewhere else because they don’t know about us.”
Now that crack has been closed. Under the direction of OB Director Mona Hanan, Seven Points has an OB clinic as well.
Hours
The ETMC Athens OB Clinic is open every Friday from 1-5 p.m. at the ETMC First Physicians clinic in Seven Points on Highway 334 East.
Women may be eligible for care if:
- their income is too high to receive Medicaid, even though they can’t afford medical care, or
- if they do not qualify for Medicaid because they are not U.S. citizens.
The clinic is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays in Athens and on Fridays from 8 a.m.-noon in Athens and from 1-5 p.m. in Seven Points.
“For some of these women, even if they knew about the clinic in Athens, getting there and back was a problem,” said Hanan. “Now they can go to Seven Points for prenatal care up until the last few weeks.”
Certified Physician Assistant Danny Fillip who works out of Seven Points will be available for routine follow-up care for the children and their families after delivery.
Certified nurse midwife
In addition to Clinic Coordinator Taylor, the women’s pregnancies are also managed by Robin Fincher, a certified nurse midwife. Taylor and Fincher oversee the women up until three weeks prior to the due date. Those last three weeks, the women are seen by one of seven doctors who deliver clinic patients: family doctors Ted Mettetal, Norm Jennings, Jon Rich, Marcus Abadie, Richard David, Doug Curran, and obstetrician/gynecologist Gregory Mondini.
Curran said the impact of the clinic on the overall health of the community has been enormous.
“Not too many years ago, our community hospital was recording high numbers of premature births. Now we have some of the lowest numbers in the state of Texas for premature births,” said Curran. “I attribute a lot of that to the success of the OB clinic.
“We’re able to manage expecting mothers and keep their pregnancies going so they can deliver healthy babies. The clinic is good for mom, and it’s good for baby.”
The clinic regularly has about 60 women enrolled in the program, and with the expansion to Seven Points, those numbers will likely increase.
Thanks to the state’s insurance program for children, CHIP, the clinic is able to see patients after they deliver and for their two- and six-week check-ups. CHIP also offers prenatal care for the unborn children of Texas residents who are uninsured and not eligible for Medicaid due to income or immigration status.
Eligibility
Judy Carlisle, a financial consultant at ETMC Athens, screens potential OB Clinic patients. While the majority of the clinic’s patients are Latina women who do not qualify for Medicaid because of their citizenship status, the clinic is open to any pregnant woman whose income level is below a certain percentage and who does not qualify for Medicaid.
“There’s no doubt this clinic causes better outcomes for mom and baby,” said Taylor. “At 28 weeks, we check for gestational diabetes, and we’re able to help those moms who otherwise wouldn’t have known. Many of them, when told they have gestational diabetes, are shocked.”
Patient response
Taylor and Fincher said the women who utilize the clinic are aware of their good fortune in having access to prenatal care.
“These women are very gracious and thankful for anything we do for them,” said Fincher. “So that really makes it all worthwhile.”
The number for the OB Clinic is 903-676-5480. To discuss qualifications for the clinic, Judy Carlisle may be reached at 903-676-1111 (Monday-Friday).
