Page 125 - Cityview_Jan_Feb_2014

Physician PrOFile

HIgH RIsk oBsTETRIcAL consuLTAnTs

Dr. bObby hOwarD

High Risk Obstetrical

Consultants (HiROC)
is a group of high-risk

obstetricians and other
healthcare profes-

sionals who provide

state-of-the-art
care for women with

risk factors that may
affect their pregnancy.

HiROC’s experienced

team includes these
maternal-fetal special-

how does this happen?
only through close surveillance can your ists: diabetic educators,
one of the most joyous times of life—the doctor identify a problem early.”
genetic counselors,

anticipation and birth of a child—becomes a once a high-risk pregnancy is re- perinatologists, sonog-
time of worry and concern. Instead of pick- ferred, hiRoC’s screening and diagnostic
raphers, registered
ing out cute outfits and decorating a nurs- techniques include ultrasound, nuchal nurses, and clinical

ery, expectant parents spend inordinate translucency screening, maternal serum support staff.
hours in triage and medical monitoring.
screening, fetal magnetic resonance In addition, HiROC’s

Eventually, with expert medical care, imaging, amniocentesis, chorionic villus office in Knoxville has
mother and child can get through a sampling, and percutaneous umbilical some of the best high-

high-risk pregnancy, and new parents can blood sampling.
risk obstetricians in

begin enjoying all those dreams they an- “generalized risk factors are charac- the nation today, with
ticipated. In Knoxville and the surround- teristics such as first-time moms, young further plans to extend

ing area, high Risk obstetrical Consul- moms, or—conversely—moms older than services throughout
tants (hiRoC) offers state-of-the-art care 35, a personal or family history of high East Tennessee.

for moms and their babies throughout blood pressure, diabetes, or a family his-
pregnancy and delivery.
tory of preeclampsia or other pregnancy
Our Goals:
dr. bobby howard is the Chairman of complications,” says dr. howard.
• Toimprovethecare

hiRoC’s department of obstetrics and When a patient is referred to hiRoC, and outcome for the
gynecology. “In obstetrics we are always she most often will continue to see her mother and baby

faced with taking care of two patients,”
regular ob/gYN. At hiRoC, however, • Toeliminate
says dr. howard. “In a high-risk pregnancy, she will be able to access board certi-
unexpected

sometimes the outcome is just a minimal fied maternal-fetal medicine specialists, complications
at delivery
inconvenience for the mother. Sometimes diabetic educators, genetic counselors,
she is at risk for a significant lifetime im- perinatal sonographers, registered nurses, • Toprovideoptions
for screening and
pairment: stroke, renal failure, or damage to and clinical support staff.
some other organ system—even, obviously, The National Institute of Child health testing

death. for her baby, there are immediate and human development recommends

risks, too, as well as the possibility of ongo- that “women with high-risk pregnancies
ing developmental problems.”
should receive care from a special team of
mAIn oFFIcE
dr. howard says any seemingly normal health-care providers to ensure that their
pregnancy has the potential to develop pregnancies are healthy and that they can 1924 Alcoa Hwy.,

complications: “Sometimes there are no carry their infant or infants to term.” for Suite 6
symptoms early on whatsoever. Then expectant mothers in East Tennessee,
Knoxville, TN 37920
something such as preeclampsia may occur.
hiRoC provides such a team.
865-305-8888

www.hi-roc.com

maRcH aPRiL 2014 cityviewmag.com 123