The University of Michigan Cardio-Obstetrics Clinic, housed within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the Von Voigtlander OBGYN Clinic and in close collaboration with Adult and Pediatric Cardiology, provides specialized, multidisciplinary care for pregnant and postpartum patients with pre-existing or pregnancy-associated cardiovascular disease. The clinic supports patients across the continuum of care?from preconception counseling through pregnancy, delivery planning, and postpartum cardiovascular follow-up.
The Cardio-Obstetrics care team includes obstetricians, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, cardiologists, advanced practice providers, registered nurses, medical assistants, social workers, dietitians, research staff, and a dedicated administrative team. The clinic operates within a team-based, patient-centered model emphasizing clinical excellence, coordination of complex care, health equity, and integration of research and education. This role is primarily clinical but also supports key research functions and collaborates closely with research staff and investigators.
Clinical Care & Coordination
- Provide culturally responsive, age-specific nursing care to preconception, pregnant, and postpartum patients with cardiovascular conditions within a multidisciplinary Cardio-Obstetrics care model.
- Utilize advanced clinical judgment and obstetric/ cardiovascular-specific nursing knowledge to assess, triage, and manage complex conditions.
- Perform telephone, virtual, and in-person triage, including symptom assessment (e.g., chest pain, dyspnea, syncope, hypertension), referral coordination, and clinical decision-making per established protocols.
- Support outpatient clinical operations through MiChart InBasket management, telephone triage, and coordination of urgent and routine follow-up.
- Participate in care coordination activities including medication reconciliation, test and lab result management, order placement per protocol, obstetric intakes, postpartum follow-up calls, and patient education.
- Assist providers during clinical visits and procedures as appropriate within scope of practice.
Patient Education & Support
- Deliver patient- and family-centered education related to cardiovascular disease in pregnancy, including medication adherence, warning signs, lifestyle modifications, and postpartum cardiovascular risk.
- Evaluate effectiveness of patient education and adapt teaching strategies to meet individual patient needs, health literacy levels, and cultural contexts.
- Collaborate with social work and community resources to address social determinants of health and support continuity of care.
- Develop and implement educational materials, standards, methods, and tools to improve patient care.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
- Work collaboratively with obstetrics, maternal-fetal medicine, cardiology, anesthesia, nursing, and ancillary services to ensure coordinated, high-quality care.
- Problem solves with multidisciplinary teams across practice settings and the continuum of care both within and external to Michigan Medicine.
- Serve as a clinical resource to nursing staff, medical assistants, clerical staff, and trainees regarding Cardio-Obstetrics workflows and patient care needs.
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