Integrating OB Hospitalists in High-Risk Maternity Care

Dr. Fung-Yip explains how the hospitalist role differs from community OBGYNs, emphasizing the value of continuous in-hospital coverage for urgent and high-risk cases. She describes the spectrum of care, from routine pregnancies to complex emergencies requiring collaboration among hospitalists, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, and multidisciplinary teams. The discussion covers OB ED operations, the Maternal Fetal Triage Index, hospital design for rapid response, and review of critical emergencies such as postpartum hemorrhage and amniotic fluid embolism. Dr. Fung-Yip highlights how these events can escalate to maternal cardiac arrest, requiring immediate ACLS, team coordination, and sometimes resuscitative hysterotomy. She stresses that preparedness depends on ongoing education, simulation, mentorship, debriefing, and strong teamwork.