Bringing Maternal Care Closer to Home: How HCCH and NKC Health Are Transforming Rural OB Services
Published Nov 20, 2025
Access to quality maternal care shouldn’t depend on your ZIP code. Yet for many families in rural northwest Missouri, limited health care options have long meant traveling hours for prenatal visits or delivery. Thanks to an innovative partnership between Harrison County Community Hospital in Bethany, Mo., and NKC Health in North Kansas City, Mo., that reality is changing.
Meet the Leaders Behind the Change
Robin Hogan, R.N., BSN, director of three primary care clinics within HCCH, has spent her career serving rural communities. Her passion for improving obstetric care stems from firsthand experience with the challenges of limited access. Robin credits Kimberly Baker, M.D., HCCH’s sole OB physician, for making local prenatal and postpartum care possible.
On the NKC Health side, Stephanie Jones, MSN, R.N., RNC-OB, serves as maternity nurse navigator. Since pioneering the maternity preadmission nurse role in 2018, Stephanie has guided countless mothers through their birth journeys, ensuring education and seamless communication between providers.
Together, these leaders share a mission: to make maternal care accessible, compassionate and consistent for rural families.
About HCCH and NKC Health
HCCH Medical Clinics
- 3 primary care offices within a 40-mile radius in rural northwest Missouri
- Serving ~8,000 residents countywide
- Staff: 3 physicians, 5 mid-level providers, 30 dedicated team members
- Dr. Baker provides essential OB care locally, reducing the need for long-distance travel
NKC Health
- Magnet-designated hospital and Mayo Clinic Network Care member
- 451 licensed beds, 49 medical specialties
- Advanced Certification in Perinatal Care
- Level II NICU for infants 28 weeks and older
- Partnerships with FQHC facilities like Samuel U. Rodgers and Swope Health
The Patterson Family Foundation Grant: A Catalyst for Change
In 2022, HCCH and NKC Health joined forces through a Patterson Family Foundation grant aimed at improving maternal health in rural Missouri. The grant funded:
- HCCH’s participation in a rural OB pilot program
- purchase of a Butterfly bedside ultrasound machine
- data collection on key maternal health metrics
While the pilot has ended, the partnership thrives. NKC Health is now exploring ways to replicate this success in other rural communities.
Adapting to Growing Needs
The rural OB program is gaining momentum, with more mothers choosing HCCH for care each month. To meet demand:
- HCCH is cross-training nursing staff
- NKC Health has streamlined workflows to support rural deliveries without disrupting overall operations
Early challenges — like aligning prenatal practices and improving provider communication — have evolved into a smooth, collaborative system that benefits patients and clinicians alike.
Signs of Progress
Since the partnership began, NKC Health reports a 37% decrease in patients delivering without prenatal care. This improvement means more mothers are receiving consistent, early care — a critical factor in healthy outcomes. While specific clinical metrics like cesarean rates aren’t yet tracked, the increased access alone marks a major step forward.
Resources for Mothers and Newborns
Both HCCH and NKC Health offer robust support programs, including:
- social services for OB patients using the Ask Me 5 framework
- educational tools like the Bump2Baby app and Gift of Motherhood booklet
- pre-delivery consults with a maternity nurse navigator
- group tours and “Q&A for Baby Day” classes
- weekly breastfeeding support groups
- postpartum depression screening and resources
These initiatives ensure mothers receive compassionate, comprehensive care from pregnancy through recovery.
Looking Ahead
The partnership between HCCH and NKC Health is more than a program — it’s a promise to rural families that quality maternal care is within reach. With continued collaboration and community support, this model could redefine how rural health care is delivered across Missouri and beyond.