PENSACOLA, Fla. — Expectant mothers in the Northwest Florida area will soon have more support, without even leaving home.
A Pensacola hospital is expanding its maternal care navigator program to include telehealth services.
With the free telehealth option at Ascension Sacred Heart maternal care, providers say it will help overcome barriers for new and soon-to-be mothers.
Latasha McCullers just had her ninth child 11 days ago. She obviously has her hands full.
“They send me text messages, see how I’m doing. You know, it’s still reaching out to me, making it seem like I’m still there. It’s like a little family,” McCullers said.
That’s when patient navigators at Sacred Heart Hospital step in — to guide new and expecting moms through every stage of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery: from mental health resources to ensuring they have rides to and from their appointments.
“All of the wraparound services that we provide just kind of helps us make sure that the patients are not only just coming to the appointment, but if for example if they have food insecurity, you know we have to make sure that they’re eating healthy,” Patient Navigator Kate Peabody,
Until now, those services were all in person.
Now, the hospital is expanding the navigator program with telehealth visits — making it easier for families to get help from home.
“It’s going to be a game-changer for many of our patients,” said Peabody.
The program supports women from early pregnancy through one year after birth, helping connect moms to any service they need.
And it’s all to make sure no mom falls through the cracks.
“For Escambia County, our infant mortality rate is higher than the state average and the national average from the data from 2023. So doing this care is how we’re hoping to move that needle and to improve that rate. Kind of more consistent checkups, especially for many people that can’t get here as often,” says Clinical Director of Operations, Kelly Davies.