NW Specialty, Providence expand pregnancy care in NI
POST FALLS — Northwest Specialty Hospital and Providence are working together to bring advanced imaging and perinatal services to North Idaho so local families won’t have to travel for specialty care.
The hospitals are now providing advanced imaging and perinatal services to referred patients at Northwest Specialty Hospital in Post Falls, Providence and Northwest Specialty announced Monday in a joint news release.
If a pregnancy is diagnosed as potentially high risk, the patient can receive high-level imaging in Post Falls, which will be read through telehealth by health care professionals at Spokane’s Providence High Risk Pregnancy Clinic.
The clinic is the Inland Northwest’s largest maternal fetal medicine practice and specializes in high-risk pregnancies, such as those with Type 1 diabetes, high blood pressure, genetic diseases and other conditions.
High-risk pregnancies require specialized care. Providing patients with early access to cutting-edge technology and experienced teams helps support safe pregnancies and healthy newborns.
“At Northwest Specialty Hospital, our North Star is serving our community," Northwest Specialty Hospital CEO Rick Rasmussen said in the news release.
"This partnership is a major step in continuing our mission of providing value-based care, which aims for high-quality health outcomes at a more affordable cost for our community,” he said. “We look forward to working with a quality health care system like Providence.”
Dr. Rebecca Mallo, Providence Medical Group chief medical officer, said Providence is a preferred choice for women's health, especially with any high-risk pregnancy or birth situation.
"This relationship allows us to bring the region’s best care closer to home for North Idaho families,” she said.
New services to benefit North Idaho patients and families include:
• High-risk pregnancy care
• Anatomical and growth ultrasound scans during entire length of pregnancy
• Comprehensive gestational diabetes management programs
• Ultrasound monitoring
• Specialty pharmacy services
Providence High Risk Pregnancy Clinic has extensive experience providing these services, including via telehealth. The clinic also has a direct connection to Providence Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital neonatal intensive care unit, the only Level IV NICU in the region. This designation means that Providence is equipped to care for babies as young as 22 weeks gestational age.
These new services through Providence and Northwest Specialty require referrals. Patients who feel they would benefit from high-risk pregnancy care should talk with their care providers.
Mallo