Member: Blanchard Valley Health System, Findlay, Ohio
Blanchard Valley Health System (BVHS) physicians and staff strive to give patients peace of mind as they address their health concerns.
“Casey, one of my patients, had a history of an underlying bleeding condition, also known as hemophilia, that was quite concerning,” says Derek Thomas, M.D., a BVHS physician specializing in hematology and oncology. “When she gave birth to her three children, each time she experienced postpartum hemorrhaging which caused her to stay in the hospital an extended amount of time. Additionally, it took her much longer to recover.”
With Casey expecting a fourth child, Dr. Thomas evaluated Casey's blood work and prescribed multiple medications, but still no long-term solution emerged. Knowing BVHS is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, he decided to request an eConsult, an asynchronous consultation that fosters physician collaboration and knowledge sharing at no additional cost to the patient.
A healthy baby boy
Mayo Clinic hematology specialists Animesh Pardanani, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., and Ariela L. Marshall, M.D., who specializes in women's thrombosis and hemostasis, weighed in on the case.
“Dr. Pardanani and I had to determine a care plan for Casey's hemorrhaging and quickly so that she could have a healthy and safe birthing process,” says Dr. Thomas. “Because there was no underlying diagnosis it made our jobs a bit more difficult.”
Armed with information from additional blood tests, Dr. Marshall provided additional consultation with Dr. Thomas. The physicians ultimately agreed to monitor Casey closely throughout her pregnancy and, if Casey experienced bleeding complications following delivery, administer an antifibrinolytic medication to stabilize blood clots and reduce bleeding. On the big day, the medication was readied and turned out to be necessary following the safe delivery of a healthy baby boy named Brix at Blanchard Valley Hospital.
Collaboration and additional expertise
“I am extremely grateful for the exceptional care that I received from Dr. Thomas,” says Casey. “This pregnancy went much more smoothly because they (Drs. Thomas, Pardanani and Marshall) eliminated a lot of the stress and worry that I had previously experienced. Their compassion and innovation made a significant difference in my life.”
“Casey's story is just one of many whose lives have been impacted by the clinical collaboration with Mayo Clinic,” says Dr. Thomas. “While we have exceptional care at BVHS, it is also a great feeling to know that we have an entire team of specialists at Mayo Clinic ready to lend a helping hand. These experienced professionals provide our local team additional expertise so that we can provide the highest quality of care for our patients.”
