World-Class Women’s & Children’s Care, Close to Home
- Northeast Missouri Health Council
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
In rural communities across the U.S., access to maternal and child healthcare is shrinking at an alarming rate. A recent JAMA article highlights the nationwide crisis: more than half of rural counties no longer have hospital-based obstetric services, forcing families to travel long distances for care during some of life’s most critical moments. These gaps can have devastating consequences for mothers and babies.
Here in Northeast Missouri, however, families are finding a different story — one of strength, collaboration, and commitment. Through the partnership of Northeast Missouri Health Council (NMHC) providers and Northeast Regional Medical Center (NRMC), patients have access to a team of world-class OB/GYN and Pediatric experts providing compassionate, comprehensive care right where they live.
As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), not only are NMHC providers offering world class care, they are also providing accessibility, affordability and breaking down barriers to improve Northeast Missouri’s community health outcomes. This commitment has earned NMHC national recognition, including the HRSA National Quality Leader Award for Child and Maternal Health, a rare distinction that reflects measurable excellence in outcomes for women and children that was received by only a few community health centers in the nation.
What is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC)?
A Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) is a federally funded community health center that provides comprehensive primary care services to all patients, regardless of ability to pay. FQHCs serve medically underserved areas, including rural communities, and are designed to: • Expand access to preventive, dental, and behavioral healthcare • Provide affordable care for families with limited resources • Improve health outcomes for communities that may otherwise face significant barriers to healthcare NMHC’s FQHC designation ensures that Northeast Missouri families have consistent, high-quality care close to home — a critical factor in maintaining healthy mothers, children, and communities.
Leading the Way in OB/GYN Care
At NMHC, patients benefit from a highly skilled team of women’s health providers, including board certified physicians and advance practice providers who collaboratively provide care for the full realm of women’s healthcare, in both the clinic and hospital for obstetrics: prenatal visits through delivery & postpartum recovery, gynecology, urogynecology.
At NMHC’s OB/GYN clinic, women will find support on their lifelong journey from adolescence to menopause and beyond. Women have access to:
• Women’s Health & Preventive Care: prenatal care, annual exams, pap smears, pelvic exams, STD screening & treatment
• Reproductive & Fertility Services: infertility evaluation & treatment, birth control options, colposcopy & LEEP procedures
• Pelvic & Urinary Health: urinary incontinence, cystocele/rectocele, chronic UTIs, pelvic pain, endometriosis
• Support & Counseling: lactation counseling, management of dysfunctional uterine bleeding
These providers not only care for patients in the clinic but also provide coverage at NRMC, ensuring that women can safely deliver their babies without leaving the community. Their collaborative approach means families are surrounded by expertise and compassion throughout pregnancy, delivery, and beyond.
Pediatric Excellence in a Rural Setting
NMHC’s Northeast Pediatrics team provides a full spectrum of pediatric services — from newborn care to adolescent health — with board-certified physicians and advanced practice providers who are deeply invested in the region. Families have access to:
• Developmental screenings, autism and sensory assessments
• Lactation support and frenotomy services
• Telehealth visits and 24/7 nurse triage
• Same-day sick visits and bedside ultrasound
• Coordinated hospital care at NRMC from birth through adolescence
Powered by Collaboration
One of the most unique strengths of NMHC and NRMC is their connection with the University of Missouri Health System. This valuable support provides real-time access to sub-specialists through telehealth and consults, including neonatology and NICU services. Patients in Northeast Missouri benefit from the expertise of an academic medical center while still receiving care in their own community hospital.
“Our providers are world-class, but they’re also neighbors, parents, and community members,” says NMHC CEO Andy Grimm. “That combination of advanced training and local commitment creates a level of care that’s hard to match.”
NRMC leadership echoes this sentiment, noting how NMHC physicians serve not only at the bedside but also on key hospital committees, ensuring that local families receive consistent, integrated, high-quality care across settings.
Facing Rural Challenges, Delivering Rural Strength
Like many rural areas, Northeast Missouri faces challenges — from workforce shortages to geographic barriers that make it harder for families to reach specialized care. But through innovation, teamwork, and a dedication to treating every patient like family, NMHC and NRMC are ensuring that these challenges do not define outcomes.
The results are clear: healthier mothers, stronger babies, thriving children, and a community that knows it can count on its providers.
How Northeast Missouri Stands Apart
National data paints a stark picture: as of 2022, more than 52% of rural hospitals in the U.S. no longer provide obstetric services, up from 43% just a decade earlier. Overall, 42% of U.S. hospitals now lack OB services entirely, leaving many families to drive hours for maternity care. In contrast, Northeast Missouri remains one of the exceptions. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of NMHC’s OB/GYN & Pediatric team, local families continue to have full-time obstetric coverage and pediatric expertise available in their own community hospital. This level of access is increasingly rare in rural America — and it highlights just how significant the partnership between NMHC & NRMC, along with the valuable support from the University of Missouri, truly is for the health and safety of Northeast Missouri families.
The Bottom Line
While rural America continues to lose access to maternal and pediatric care, Northeast Missouri is proving that it’s possible to deliver top-tier care with small-town heart. Together, NMHC and NRMC — with the support of the University of Missouri — are not just filling gaps in care. They’re building a model of rural healthcare that keeps families safe, supported, and close to home. Because when it comes to women’s and children’s health, Northeast Missouri families deserve nothing less than the best. And the best is already here.
What is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC)? A Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) is a federally funded community health center that provides comprehensive primary care services to all patients, regardless of ability to pay. FQHCs serve medically underserved areas, including rural communities, and are designed to: • Expand access to preventive, dental, and behavioral healthcare • Provide affordable care for families with limited resources • Improve health outcomes for communities that may otherwise face significant barriers to healthcare NMHC’s FQHC designation ensures that Northeast Missouri families have consistent, high-quality care close to home — a critical factor in maintaining healthy mothers, children, and communities.