Gundersen St. Joseph's to expand prenatal care services for expectant mothers

Gundersen St. Joseph's Hospital and Clinics continues to adapt and expand care options for the community with the addition of a Shared Care model for expectant mothers.

Currently, babies are not delivered at Gundersen St. Joseph's hospital but routine prenatal care up to 28 weeks is provided at Gundersen St. Joseph's Hillsboro Clinic by providers Andrea Anderson, PA-C; and Sue Borchardt, NP. The current model allows expectant mothers to receive routine prenatal care locally before transitioning to a delivering provider at another facility.

The new Shared Care model looks to expand the service by providing routine prenatal care at Hillsboro Clinic for the entire length of pregnancy by working in collaboration with Certified Nurse Midwives, Lyn Wedyke, CNM; and Emily Rodriguez CNM, making it easier for expectant mothers to receive the routine care they need throughout their pregnancy locally without the need for extensive travel.

Rodriguez and Wedyke currently provide prenatal care at Gundersen Tomah Clinic as well as labor and delivery, including water births, at Tomah Memorial Hospital. Under the new Shared Care model, they will also provide outreach services to Hillsboro Clinic - meeting with expectant mothers during routine appointments in collaboration with their primary care provider for the entire pregnancy. They will then perform the delivery at Tomah Memorial Hospital.

"What this means for our expectant mothers is that patients can continue to get their routine prenatal care in Hillsboro for the full length of pregnancy," says Kristie McCoic, clinic operations officer at Gundersen St. Joseph's. "This gives expectant mothers the choice to keep their care local for their entire pregnancy, reducing their need to drive farther away for multiple routine visits during their pregnancy. It also allows for the expectant mother to form a relationship with a certified nurse midwife who may deliver their baby."

Certified Nurse Midwives are registered nurses with advanced training in the care of women during pregnancy and childbirth. Midwives are also available for support on family planning, preconception counseling and breastfeeding. Gundersen's midwifery program has been in service for more than 40 years and is the longest, continuously running midwifery program in Wisconsin.

The current Transitioned Care model will still be in effect to provide flexibility in delivery location to suit the needs of the expectant mother and their insurance provider. Expectant mothers interested in the service can contact June Blaha, RN, OB Nurse at Gundersen St. Joseph's at (608) 489-8280 for help in determining the right care model for their needs. The new Shared Care service will begin Sept. 11.