SOC Telemed Appoints New National Medical Director for Maternal-Fetal Medicine

HERNDON, Va., Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SOC Telemed, the nation's leading high-acuity specialty telemedicine group, is pleased to announce that Amanda Horton, M.D., FACOG, will lead its maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) telemedicine program.

Dr. Horton is double board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and in maternal-fetal medicine. She joined the telemedicine group in 2020 after a traditional medical career as part of a large Austin, Texas-based physician practice.

"Telemedicine gives me the ability to provide life-changing care to women all over the country, many of whom would not have access to an MFM specialist were it not for telemedicine," said Horton. "I'm honored to serve as SOC Telemed's national medical director for this high-growth service line and bring MFM expertise to more women and babies in more communities."

SOC Telemed's teleMFM programs deliver care in inpatient and outpatient settings, including hospitals, community-based OB/GYN practices, and radiology and imaging practices.

"I'm thrilled that Dr. Horton is leading our teleMFM service line," said Chris Gallagher, M.D., FACC, CEO. "Her expertise and passion for women's health and increasing access to care are an asset not just for SOC Telemed but for hospitals and patients across the country."

Having inpatient on-demand teleMFM support increases the ability of a community hospital to provide multidisciplinary care for more at-risk pregnancies and keep more families close to home. SOC Telemed's MFM program has consistently shown up to a 30 percent reduction in maternal transfers from local hospitals to urban, tertiary facilities. TeleMFM support for maternity and imaging practices improves care outcomes and provides integrated, comprehensive care in a single location. Interpretation of fetal ultrasounds by maternal-fetal medicine specialists increases the detection rate of fetal anomalies by 35 percent, with the most profound impact on detection of congenital heart abnormalities. When taking on interpretation of all ultrasound exams at several community obstetric practices, the SOC Telemed teleMFM program detected abnormalities in 7-9 percent of ultrasound exams originally interpreted as "normal" by the sonographers.

"Telemedicine solves the specialist shortage crisis," said Sina Haeri, M.D., chief clinical strategy officer, SOC Telemed. "There are only about 1,800 MFM specialists in the country, and 96 percent of these specialists practice in large urban areas, leaving much of the country without any access to specialized care for high-risk pregnancies. With much-needed focus nationally on improving maternal outcomes and reducing infant and maternal mortality, teleMFM programs should be front-and-center."

Dr. Horton received her medical degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine and completed both her residency in obstetrics and gynecology and fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine.

About SOC Telemed

SOC Telemed ("SOC") is the leading national provider of acute telemedicine technology and solutions to hospitals, health systems, post-acute providers, physician networks, and value-based care organizations since 2004. SOC provides a supportive and dedicated partner presence, virtually delivering patient care through teleNeurology, telePsychiatry, teleCritical Care, telePulmonology, teleCardiology, teleInfectious Disease, teleNephrology, teleMaternal-Fetal Medicine and other service lines, enabling healthcare organizations to build sustainable telemedicine programs across clinical specialties. SOC enables organizations to enrich their care models and touch more lives by supplying healthcare teams with industry-leading solutions that drive improved clinical care, patient outcomes, and organizational health. The company was the first provider of acute clinical telemedicine services to earn The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval and has maintained that accreditation every year since inception. For more information, visit www.soctelemed.com.

CONTACT: 
Meg Hoyecki 
703.225.7145 | [email protected]

SOURCE SOC Telemed

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