Doctors Medical Center coordinates with clinics to cover high-risk pregnancies
A physicians group has begun providing coverage at Doctors Medical Center for patients with high-risk pregnancies, continuing a collaboration with Golden Valley Health Centers, a leading safety-net provider in the Northern San Joaquin Valley.
According to a news release Friday, the use of OB-GYN hospitalists — physicians who specialize in caring for hospitalized patients — aligned with Central Valley Doctors Health System Physicians will ensure coordination of care with Golden Valley and other safety-net clinics that serve disadvantaged patients in Stanislaus and nearby counties.
Golden Valley's decision to cut obstetrical services at Doctors Medical Center for women with high-risk pregnancies raised concerns in January. That decision ended a Golden Valley program in which three obstetricians provided care for expectant mothers in clinics and then delivered their babies at DMC. The physicians also performed gynecologic surgeries at the hospital.
Golden Valley sent notices terminating its agreements with the three obstetricians, effective April 30, and proposed new contracts requiring them to work 40 hours per week in its clinics. It was unclear who would deliver babies for Golden Valley patients with complex medical needs.
Two of the three obstetricians, Lloyd Lee and Kevin Rine, have negotiated agreements to keep delivering babies at DMC.
'I am happy to be able to announce that Central Valley Doctors Health System Physicians is collaborating with Golden Valley Health Centers and we have ensured OB-GYN hospitalist coverage at Doctors Medical Center,' Jennifer Howard, chief executive officer of the physician group, said in the news release.
Howard said the physicians group, which was formerly First California Physician Partners, is strengthening safety-net collaborations with Golden Valley Health Centers, other physician offices and the new Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic in Modesto, which was opened last month by DMC and Valley Children's Healthcare.
Dr. Eduardo Villarama, chief medical officer for Golden Valley, said the new services will ensure a continuum of care from early pregnancy to labor and delivery for patients who depend on Medi-Cal or other health programs. 'We are fully committed to women's health, and we are proud to advance our relationship with DMC to achieve the best for our patients,' Villarama said.
Golden Valley has 47 safety-net clinics in Stanislaus, Merced and San Joaquin counties serving almost 200,000 patients per year. Villarama said previously that patient demand for obstetric services grew after the COVID-19 pandemic came to an end.
Golden Valley still is trying to add obstetrical staff to provide prenatal care in its clinics but can refer some patients with high-risk pregnancies to the newly opened Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic on Florida Avenue, Villarama said. Golden Valley has 11 obstetrical doctors caring for these expectant mothers, as well as two locums, or fill-in doctors, and another locum starting soon.
Villarama added that Golden Valley is recruiting for additional women's health providers. 'We have been preparing for this transition over the past several months and have many safeguards to ensure safe, high-quality care for our high-risk patients,' he said.
Dr. Susan Podolsky, a laborist at DMC, said the hospital coverage alleviates many concerns regarding who would be delivering babies for Golden Valley patients. 'I think that this decision was poorly planned,' she said. 'I still believe it puts more women of color at a disadvantage. We will have to see how it goes over this next month.'
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