Local obstetricians and gynecologists at Ogeechee OBGYN saw the need for women in Statesboro and surrounding areas to have access to specialized medical care during their pregnancy for both the patient and the unborn child.
Drs. Chelsea Mikell and James Small decided to partner with Women’s Telehealth, an Atlanta-based telehealth high risk obstetric physician collective, to bring the healthcare that is typically found in larger areas like Augusta, Savannah and Atlanta to patients in the Statesboro area.
Women’s Telehealth was founded four years ago by Dr. C. Anne Patterson, a Board-Certified expert in maternal fetal medicine (MFM) in Atlanta for over 25 years. She originally obtained her Bachelor and Master’s Degrees in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech. She worked at NASA, but later decided to pursue a career in medicine. Patterson completed her MD, OB/GYN residency and MFM fellowship all at Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta. She also studied fetal physiology at Oxford University in England during this time.
For over 20 years, Dr. Patterson has been in private practice, delivering babies at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, one of the premier obstetrical hospitals in the US with over 17,000 births per year.
Since its inception, Dr. Patterson and Women’s Telehealth has completed over 10,000 MFM telemedicine encounters across twelve US states and eight countries.
According to the publication Every Mother Counts, 2022, “The US has higher rates of maternal deaths than 45 other countries and is the only developed country with a consistently rising maternal mortality rate. Over half of these deaths are preventable.”
The statistics in the state of Georgia are staggering as well, with the state having one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the country. According to the March of Dimes, the reason for this is that around 35% of counties in Georgia are maternity care deserts where health care services for pregnant women are limited or non-existent in rural parts of the state.
While The Annex will be an extension of Ogeechee OBGYN, seeing patients for routine gynecological and obstetrical care, it is providing a space for MFM in the community.
“The Annex supports Maternal Fetal Medicine Services by providing a space for Dr. Anne Patterson and other perinatologists of Women’s Telehealth to offer their expertise and services to high risk obstetrical patients,” said Dr. James Small. “Previously, these services were only available in larger communities and patients had to travel to receive them. We are so proud to now be able to offer these services to our patients locally.”
Women’s Telehealth is led by Dr. Anne Patterson, but along with her expertise and experience, patients have access to board-certified maternal fetal medicine physicians, mid-level providers, RDMS sonographers, and medical assistants.
The opening of The Annex will change the medical availability to pregnant women in Statesboro and surrounding rural areas by allowing these patients access to experienced medical care that can help to prevent pregnancy complications, save travel time and expenses for the families.
For more information on The Annex, please visit www.ogeecheeobgyn.com or find The Annex on Facebook and Instagram.
About Ogeechee OBGYN: Originally founded as Ogeechee Clinic in 1966, Ogeechee OBGYN is known as the first practice to provide gynecological and obstetrical care for the residents of Bulloch County and the surrounding areas. Currently with two OBGYNs, Drs. Chelsea Mikell and James Small, and five experienced practitioners, Shannon Hall, PA-C; Tressa Cheney, FNP-C; Nikiya Lewis, DNP,FNP-C; Jamie Bohler, FNP-C; and Denise Peebles, FNP-C, Ogeechee OB-GYN provides care to thousands of patients in the larger region centered around Bulloch County. In addition to their two offices in Statesboro, including The Annex and their main building, they also operate a clinic in Swainsboro, GA, affiliated with The Emanuel Medical Center. Further expansion of services for the community and surrounding areas is currently in the planning stages.
