IMFH | Patient Guide | Next Visits
Consultation: The definition of an IMFH patient is one who requires care from two or more specialists. These can be a perinatologist and the pediatric specialist who will take care of the baby, once he or she is born. In most cases, there are more than two different doctors involved in care. IMFH offers all doctors and all services in one location. The care manager and the patient coordinator will assist in arranging and explaining all care needed.
The next appointment may be scheduled with one or more pediatric specialists. These are pediatricians associated with Childrens Hospital Los Angeles that have American Board of Pediatrics certifications as well as additional training and certification in a specialty field of medicine. Example specialty areas include cardiology, neurosurgery, genetics, and so on.
If an unborn baby is diagnosed with a heart problem, the care manager will arrange appointments to meet with the physicians who will be caring for the baby, such as pediatric cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, and/or fetal cardiologists. There may also be a meeting with a geneticist to help answer the questions every family has, “why and how did this happen?” If there are conditions that may require surgery, a meeting with a pediatric surgeon will be arranged. Every condition has one or more specialized doctors who will provide care. It is important for the family to meet the doctors, understand their particular baby’s condition, understand its unique characteristics, and plan for care both during pregnancy and once the baby is born.
In many cases, conditions are seen that may not require immediate care at the time the baby is born, but will need to be watched and managed, to prevent problems from developing. For example, babies with enlargements in a both kidneys, especially if they are boys, should be watched to make sure there are no problems that could cause damage over time. In these cases, the care manager will arrange for the family to meet with a pediatric urologist. He will be present during a next visit with the perinatologist, view the ultrasound at the same time as it is being done, then meet with the family to discuss plans. In many cases, babies with this condition look and act completely normal and healthy. The urologist can tell which might need care and which do not. The family will understand their baby’s plan of care, which may include an ultrasound before leaving the hospital at birth and coming in to the office in the first few weeks of life to discuss the results.
Diagnostic Testing: A great deal can bee seen by specialized ultrasound when performed by an experienced perinatologist. In addition to ultrasound, there are other types of diagnostic testing and imaging that can help the team to better visualize, measure and evaluate certain conditions. Further diagnostic testing may be ordered, such as a fetal echocardiogram or a fetal MRI, to assist the team in gathering as much information as possible. The care manager will arrange and explain these and any other tests that may be needed.
