Fetal Assessment Obstetric Outreach Program

Jennifer McMillan

Jennifer McMillan, RN. The challenge of providing equal access to health care services for the vast and often isolated communities of rural Canada has prompted health care planners to develop innovative programs. Established in 1983, the Manitoba Obstetric Outreach Program (MOOP) was designed to decrease health care disparities between urban and rural areas of the province by providing a mobile ultrasound service to women and physicians in rural Manitoba. The service includes access to obstetrical consultation, dynamic real-time sonography, fetal screening and surveillance and expeditious referrals to tertiary care centers. A team of specially trained nurse- sonographers make regular visits to nine rural provincial sites. Some of these visits involve access by boat, helicopter, hovercraft, snowmobile and truck. This presentation will review the role, effectiveness and operational capacity of this innovative service and share their journey of 30 years.

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