UAMS provides maternal telemedicine in Oklahoma

By Spencer Watson

The OSU/ UAMS collaboration will allow consultations in real time between medical specialists, pregnant mothers and their physicians so they can receive needed health care near their homes. Medical professionals at OSU will be able to collaborate with UAMS medical specialists to co-manage patient care so they don’t have to refer patients to distant hospitals or clinics.

The support follows the ANGELS telemedicine model developed and administered by UAMS Center for Distance Health, though it is not an extension of the ANGELS network. ANGELS (the Antenatal and Neonatal Guidelines, Education and Learning System) is an innovative consultative service for a wide range of physicians including family practitioners, obstetricians, neonatologists and pediatricians in Arkansas.

“Applying technology in a meaningful way is how we effect positive change in health care for everyone, especially pregnant mothers,” said Curtis Lowery, M.D., director of the UAMS College of Medicine’s Center for Distance Health. “OSU Medical Center’s willingness to collaborate with us in providing that care and in improving access to care demonstrates that they share that forward-thinking vision of progress.”

Through telemedicine and distance health tools, UAMS and ANGELS for more than a decade has delivered subspecialty care services to high-risk Arkansas mothers and their fragile infants.

“Disparities in health care continue to be a problem across America,” Joseph Johnson, chairman of OSU Health Sciences Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. “Partnering with UAMS maternal-fetal medicine physicians is going to provide evidence-based, high-risk maternal care across state lines. It is our hope that this innovative partnership proves that you can reduce maternal/infant illness and death by having providers sharing in the complex nature of pregnancy management.”

OSU obstetricians and gynecologists for several years have taken part in regular interactive video teleconferences and webinars as part of professional distance learning and collaboration with UAMS physicians. The additional maternal-fetal medicine support promises even further to deepen the existing professional relationship between the universities.

“Working with the OSU team has been easy,” said Rosalyn Perkins, A.P.R.N., director of operations for the CDH. “Both teams want what is best for the patient, which makes this a great collaboration.”

UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,275 students, 890 medical residents and fellows, and five dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 12,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.

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