Montana Gov. Steve Bullock announced on Nov. 21 that the state will launch a $10 million telehealth program to expand healthcare for pregnant and postpartum patients who live in rural areas of the state.
The Montana Obstetric and Maternal Support program will roll out in early 2020 and will use telehealth services to bring more obstetric-focused training opportunities to rural Montana communities, expand mental health and substance use counseling and establish medication-assisted treatment for pregnant and parenting women with addition.
MOMS will use telehealth to virtually connect obstetric and gynecology specialists who practice in urban communities with providers who treat high-risk pregnant and postpartum women living in remote areas of the state.
The program will use Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes technology and will initially launch among rural hospitals and clinics within Billings (Mont.) Clinic's telehealth network, which serves almost 30 communities throughout the state. Obstetrics and gynecology physicians from Billings Clinic and other urban centers will offer live remote consultations to rural providers during emergency situations and regularly scheduled appointments.