Women’s health services are facing growing challenges, particularly in rural areas where access to maternity care and specialized services continues to decline. Medical practices must adapt to these gaps by integrating primary care and OB/GYN services, optimizing provider models, and exploring new care delivery strategies.
Katie Komaridis, Senior Manager at ECG Management Consultants, shares insights into how medical groups can respond to women’s health disparities and rural healthcare access issues. With experience in physician alignment, outpatient behavioral health, and maternal health services, Komaridis advises organizations on improving operational efficiency and financial sustainability while expanding patient care.
The Decline of Maternal Health Access in Rural Communities
One of the most pressing concerns in women’s health is the disappearance of maternity care in rural America. As hospitals and clinics consolidate, fewer providers are available to offer maternal health services, forcing many women to travel long distances for care.
“Some of the news is really quite alarming in rural communities,” Komaridis said. “In counties all across the country, there’s less and less access to maternal healthcare, which puts our patients potentially at risk.”
In many cases, hospitals are closing obstetric units due to staffing shortages, financial constraints, and declining birth rates, creating maternity care deserts in entire regions. The implications for patient safety and health outcomes are severe. Delayed prenatal care, fewer options for high-risk pregnancies, and increased maternal mortality rates are becoming more common in affected areas.
Expanding Women’s Health Beyond OB/GYN Care
Traditionally, women’s health has been siloed within OB/GYN services. Komaridis highlights how integrating primary care and behavioral health into women’s healthcare models could improve patient outcomes while addressing access issues.
“This year, we took a little bit of a different approach and the trends that we're thinking about now for women's health,” Komaridis said. “In addition to those, we’re looking at a primary care focus—how can we really bring together women's health holistically?”
She points out how the physiology of women differs from men, requiring different treatment approaches for many conditions. Primary care models that integrate OB/GYN services, behavioral health, and chronic disease management offer a more comprehensive patient-centered approach.
How Rural Practices Can Respond to Declining Access
Medical groups in rural areas face significant financial and staffing constraints, making it difficult to maintain full-service maternity care. However, Komaridis points to several strategies that practices can consider:
- Collaborative Care Models: Bringing OB/GYN services into primary care settings to create one-stop women’s health centers
- Telehealth for Maternal Care: Leveraging virtual consultations to provide prenatal and postpartum care for patients in underserved areas
- Behavioral Health Integration: Embedding mental health providers into women’s health clinics to support patients holistically
- Alternative Workforce Models: Expanding the role of advanced practice providers (APPs), midwives, and physician assistants in women’s health services
These approaches require careful planning and investment, but they can help mitigate the impact of provider shortages and service reductions in rural regions.
Retail Healthcare and the Changing Landscape of Women’s Health
Beyond traditional medical practices, retail healthcare models are becoming more involved in primary and specialty care. Large corporations, including Walmart and CVS, have entered the healthcare space, offering primary care services, urgent care, and even women's health screenings.
Komaridis notes that some of these retail healthcare ventures have already scaled back after expanding into primary care. This shift raises questions about how independent practices and health systems should respond.
“What do private practices do in response? And then what do health systems also do in response?” she said. “How do we all get to share in the opportunity to take care of our patients?”
While retail clinics provide convenience, they do not always offer continuity of care or specialized services for women, which presents an opportunity for independent medical groups to position themselves as trusted, patient-focused alternatives.
Key Takeaways for Medical Practice Leaders
- Rural areas are losing maternal health services, increasing risks for pregnant patients and forcing them to travel long distances for care.
- Medical groups should consider integrating OB/GYN, primary care, and behavioral health services to offer comprehensive women’s health care.
- Telehealth and workforce expansion (e.g., using midwives and APPs) can help address maternity care gaps in underserved regions.
- Retail healthcare is evolving, and traditional medical practices must define their value proposition to stay competitive.
Resources:
- Learn more about ECG Management Consultants: ECGMC.com
- MGMA Body of Knowledge Series
- Connect with Katie Komaridis on LinkedIn
