MI-Home provides health services for general reproductive well-being including prenatal, postpartum, lactation, and newborn care; well-woman visits, cervical and breast cancer screenings; and STI/STD screening and treatment. The program also provides transportation to appointments and can cover prescribed medicine for uninsured patients and those unable to pay for necessary medication.

Launched in July of 2019, MI-Home will run through September 2020 under its current funding from the AlohaCare Waiwai Ola grant. The program features mobile electronic fetal monitoring, and telehealth consults with Maternal-Fetal Medicine physicians for pregnant patients with conditions such as:

· Diabetes

· High blood pressure

· Substance use disorder

· Prior stillbirth

Patients can self-refer; providers may call the MI-Home staff; and community workers or friends/family may make the referral if they identify a woman in need of services, regardless of the health plan to which the patient has been assigned. MI-Home strives to work in concert with existing healthcare options, so enrollment into the program does not mean an automatic transfer of care to UHP. If a patient is being seen by a health professional, MI-Home can send visit records to the primary care or OBGYN provider and work with the patient to integrate into traditional in-office care.

The ultimate goal of the MI-Home program is to provide an alternate model of care that meets the needs of our community and ensures that all mothers and babies receive quality healthcare. The program’s creators believe that by elevating the health of Hawaiʻi’s families, we elevate the overall health of our communities. “Hawaiʻi’s residents should receive the best healthcare possible regardless of any economic or social hardships,” said Dr. Dena Towner, Associate Chair of Clinical Affairs in the JABSOM Department of OB/GYN and Women’s Health, and a physician with UHP. “The MI-Home program helps make this philosophy possible in an innovative and practical way that celebrates the Year of the Midwife”.

To schedule an appointment – patients, providers, insurance companies, or community partners can take the first step by calling 808-476-0690, or learn more by visiting the University Health Partners of Hawaiʻi website at uhphawaii.org.

Appointments in most cases can be scheduled immediately.

About University Health Partners of Hawaiʻi (UHP)

University Health Partners of Hawaiʻi (formerly known as UCERA) is the faculty practice plan of the John A. Burns School of Medicine and is dedicated to supporting the educational, research and community service activities of JABSOM as well as other University of Hawaiʻi health sciences groups. The practice plan includes more than 130 participating physicians. UHP physicians provide services for multiple hospitals in Hawai‘i including Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women and Children, The Queen’s Medical Center, Kuakini Medical Center, and Pali Momi Medical Center.

About the JABSOM Department of OB/GYN and Women’s Health

Physicians with the OB/GYN Department of the UH John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) provide coverage for multiple hospitals in Hawai‘i including Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children, The Queen’s Medical Center, and Pali Momi Medical Center.

JABSOM OB/GYN physicians provide care to women facing health problems though their life span, including complications and high-risk pregnancies. This dedicated group also provides essential services to many under-insured patients in Hawaiʻi.

In addition to directly serving Hawai‘i’s families, the JABSOM Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology and Women’s Health creates its clinical learning environment for medical students, residents and fellows through its association with University Health Partners of Hawaiʻi (UHP), giving all learners the robust real-world experience they need. The department has 37 physicians, including four who are part-time and three professors emeritus. Another 107 OB-GYN physicians in Hawaiʻi are volunteer faculty. Specialty training is offered in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Family Planning and Maternal-Fetal Medicine.