From the July 2019 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine

Currently, care for pregnant women is like a pyramid, with the least amount of information being delivered at the beginning, or top, of the pyramid. With improvements to imaging technology, though, we are starting to be able to turn that pyramid upside down and deliver more information sooner.

This is beneficial to moms with routine pregnancies, but is especially helpful to women whose pregnancies require additional care. The quality of an image has a significant impact on the quality of patient care as well as on the patients’ experience because it gives them the information they need to mentally prepare for possible outcomes earlier in their pregnancy, when they have more options. Earlier diagnosis improves the types of interventions available during the pregnancy and helps prevent an odyssey of appointments with specialists searching for answers. Finally, it affords expecting moms additional time to search for a specialist who may be needed after the birth or to decide whether to continue the pregnancy.


By identifying an issue earlier, we can actually make a difference in how we deliver prenatal care.

Better design
Everyone in healthcare knows that our most valuable resources are our people. In maternal fetal medicine, that especially means sonographers, who are tasked with conducting ultrasound exam after exam, day in and day out. During an exam, there are times when the patient or sonographer needs to adjust to capture the best image. This means moving the device, which can be cumbersome and lead to discomfort for both parties, and, in the worst cases, lead to work time missed due to an injury for the sonographer.

I’ve noticed an increased focus on design and ergonomics that reduces the amount of strain on sonographers and doctors. Improved ergonomics helps with workflow because the sonographer can obtain usable images without moving the patient. By decreasing unwanted adjustments, it increases the time spent diagnosing the patient, which is of course the ultimate goal of the visit.

Expanded research
Improved ultrasound image quality has the ability to do more than diagnose patients and share with expecting mothers clearer pictures of their baby. It has the possibility to transform the ultrasound device into a research tool. For example, with technology that allows doctors to clearly examine both normal and abnormal vasculature of the fetus or placenta, it opens up the possibility to discover new advances that weren’t possible because we never had that level of detail. That information will allow us to think of new ways to treat complications, but it will also enable research opportunities with the potential to uncover information that will make an impact on the future of maternal fetal care.

July 2019 Magazine

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