Regional Perinatal Program

Contact Information

Regional Perinatal Program (Education, Consultation, Referrals)

865-305-9300

Developmental Follow-Up Clinic

865-305-9848

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About Us

 

UT Medical Center is the ONLY hospital in Knoxville designated by the state of Tennessee as a Regional Perinatal Center. 

What is the purpose of the regional perinatal system?

To provide and ensure an appropriate, accessible high-risk perinatal and neonatal health care system that meets the needs of high-risk infants and women in Tennessee.

How does the system work?

State funding is provided to UT Medical Center and to four other designated regional centers to assure that the infrastructure for high-risk perinatal services is in place statewide. Specialized care is available for patients with complex medical conditions and high-risk pregnancies. Services also support critically ill infants, including those born extremely premature or with serious conditions requiring medical or surgical care. This system includes 24-hour telephone consultation with UT Medical Center physicians and nurses, professional education within the region, transportation of high-risk pregnant women and infants, and post-neonatal follow-up.

How many people are helped by the program?

Indirectly, the system impacts all mothers and babies in Tennessee by assuring that health care providers are educated on high-risk perinatal care and have a system of professional consultation available to them.

 

Tennessee Regional Perinatal Centers

East Tennessee - Knoxville

The University of Tennessee Medical Center

Middle Tennessee - Nashville

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Northeast Tennessee – Johnson City

Johnson City Medical Center

Southeast Tennessee – Chattanooga

Erlanger Health System

West Tennessee – Memphis

Regional Medical Center at Regional One Health

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Activities & Services

Tennessee Regional Perinatal Activities FY 2022
  • 17,247 deliveries to Tennessee residents at regional obstetrical centers
  • 3,855 NICU admissions to Tennessee infants  
  • 46.3% low birth weight
  • 12.7% very low birth weight
  • 6.4% extremely low birth weight
Consultation Services

106,931 obstetrical consultations (outpatient)

aerial view of hospital
Outpatient Services
  • 3,750 NICU follow-up clinic visits
  • 842 transports of Tennessee infants to regional neonatal centers.

 

Learn More

Community Services
  • 8,535.3 educational hours taught to staff throughout the state

Professional Education

 

Expert staff from UT Medical Center travel throughout the region to provide obstetric and neonatal training for staff at community hospitals, provider offices and first responder agencies. In FY 2023, a total of 1885.5 hours of educational training were provided throughout the region by the UT Medical Center Regional Perinatal Program. This training helps prepare staff to recognize complex medical conditions, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to stabilize critically ill mothers and infants until they can be transported to UT Medical Center.  

Classes and Drills

  • Fetal Monitoring
  • STABLE (Sugar, Temperature, Airway, Blood pressure, Lab work, Emotional Support)
  • NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program)
  • Hypertensive Crisis
  • Postpartum Hemorrhage
  • Shoulder Dystocia
  • Precipitous Delivery
  • Mock Codes
  • Emergency Preparedness Training

Technical Assistance to State Agencies

 

Staff from the regional perinatal centers are also active participants in many initiatives aimed at improving birth outcomes in Tennessee, including the Tennessee Initiative for Perinatal Quality Care (TIPQC), the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, and the Maternal Health Task Force. Experts from UT Medical Center provide guidance throughout the year as needed and collaborate with community hospitals and providers to improve care across the region.

  •       Together, prematurity and low birthweight are the second leading cause of infant death in Tennessee.
  •       Tennessee's smallest and most fragile babies have a better chance of survival if they are born at an appropriate facility.
  •       Perinatal regionalization is a key national strategy to reduce infant mortality.
Developmental Follow Up Clinic

The age a child smiles for the first time or takes first steps are important clues that let us know they are growing, learning and meeting developmental milestones. Our clinic uses the latest assessment tools to measure these milestones by carefully observing how a child plays, learns, speaks, moves, and behaves.

Babies who are born prematurely, very sick, or exposed to drugs during pregnancy, have an increased risk of developmental delays and should be monitored closely. Identifying delays allows for early intervention and provides families with the resources and care they need. These free, periodic follow-up visits do not replace the medical care provided by pediatricians but allow extra time to focus on development and make appropriate referrals if needed.

After each visit, a written report will be sent to each baby’s doctor. If there are concerns about development, we help families find special services such as physical therapy, speech therapy or nutritional advice, helping each child develop to his or her full potential.

Our Providers

About Our Providers

 

Amber Knapper and Mackenzie Travis are skilled Pediatric Nurse Practitioners specializing in early childhood development. Having both worked in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at UT Medical Center, they understand the unique needs of infants and toddlers and assist parents and caregivers find the resources they need. 

Location

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